Walk Me Home
by Clavel
Summary: It all begins with a walk after Lucas' past is revealed, it starts innocent enough with the need to thank a friend... and then goes other places. Maya X Lucas. This is a LUCAYA fic! Set in between the episodes of Girl Meets World, season 2. Sorry, really rusty at summaries.
1. Chapter 1 - Walk Me Home

**Hi everyone!**

 **This is my first fic in a LONG time, and I had originally posted it as a One-Shot on my Tumblr (lexiegirlstuff), because I just felt like writing after watching the season 2 premiere week of Girl Meets World. I hadn't been inspired in a long time so I ran with it. I thought it was done, but I just keep on thinking scenarios for my current OTP; so I'm gonna give it a shot and try to turn this into a story in between the official episodes.**

 **Usual Disclaimers Apply: I don't own any of the characters or brand of Girl Meets World, I'm just doing this for fun. LUCAYA all the way!**

 **Set after Girl Meets the Secret of Life**

* * *

 **Chapter ONE**

 **WALK ME HOME**

Maya was happy the day was over and things had finally calmed down. Ever since Zay had marched into class and spilled Ranger Rick's secrets, things had been a little upside down, what with Riley going to Riley Town and having a melt down over it.

But now they had all made peace and Maya was going to celebrate by watching re-runs of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, eating a few of the pastries her mom had brought home from work and maybe finishing her latest art class assignment, even if it wasn't due until the end of the week.

She was just settling into her bed and turning on the TV when a knock came on her window. That was unusual, but not completely out of the ordinary. There had been that time when Farkle and Lucas had shown up there while trick or treating (even though it was a bit out of the way from their side of Greenwich Village).

With a sigh, Maya got up she was about to ask who was it – even though it was to a window and not to a door – when she got her answer.

"Maya! Are you there?" Lucas asked, knocking on the window plane again.

"What's shaking, Huckleberry?" Maya said with a smile, pushing the window up all the way, well, until it caught and Lucas had to finish doing the pushing. "Got lost on the way to the rodeo?"

Lucas smiled at that, and then held out a single sunflower out to Maya, "For you, kind lady."

"What's that about?"

"Well, I know they are your favorites and I just wanted to thank you, for not losing it these past few days. With Zay and the almost fight today… people were treating me different for a while there, but you never did."

"We are friends, Sundance. I stand by my friends no matter what."

"I see that now." He said with a smile. "Hey, are you busy? We could go out for a milkshake or something."

"Still trying to say, thank you?" Maya asked, holding her flower.

"A little bit, maybe."

"Okay, they you are buying!" She said cheerfully. "Let me put this on some water and I'll met you out front." She added and skipped out of the room, leaving Lucas to wrestle the window back down and climb down the fire scape stairs outside her window.

…

Lucas knew this should be strange, and that maybe he was going a bit far in the name of gratitude, but he was grateful to Maya. For the past few days, only she and Farkle kept treating him as usual, while the rest of their class, including Riley, seemed to obsess over the things he had done back in Texas to get himself expelled from school.

But not Maya Penelope Hart.

She actually just kept trying to make him feel better and calm Riley down. It had surprised him, but, then again, Maya always surprised him.

"Ready to go, Ranger Rick?" Maya said, stepping out of her building.

Lucas nodded and without talking they began to walk toward a dinner they had discovered while doing their Hart and Friar Muffins' assignment, and Lucas had insisted on walking her home every night, once they were done baking at his apartment. One night they had gotten caught in the rain and wandered in. It was just a regular old grease spoon, but the milkshakes were surprisingly good and the burgers and fries weren't half bad either.

"Did your mom say what time she wants you to be back?"

"Nah," Maya said, pausing to decide if she should say more. "She got cast in this community theater play and is in rehearsals, so I just texted her I was with you. She said it was fine. Knows you won't kept me out too late on a school night."

"I gather she didn't hear about the whole thing…"

"I'm sure she did. But she knows I trust you to be a good moral compass, so she's cool with you too."

"Thanks." He said, holding open the door of the diner.

"Less 'thanks', more cheese fries!" Maya declared, going through and scouting for their favorite booth at the back. The booth itself was a little run down but it was in the section of their favorite waitress.

They ordered some fries to share and a milkshake each and then just sat there talking for a while, about school and Farkle's latest world dominations scheme and debate team (to which Lucas had stuck to since last year) and Maya's 9th grade art class (in which she was the only 8th grader).

They stayed there for almost two hours, but decided to leave as it started to get dark.

"You should just go home." Maya told him as they stepped outside, noticing it was later than she thought. "I'm not that far from my apartment."

"I'm walking you home and that's the end of it." Lucas said, a little indignant.

Maya shrugged.

It happened then, as they were crossing the street, Lucas' hand reached for her wrist, to keep her close as they made their way a cross the busy intersection; but then his hand slid, and their fingers caught and suddenly they were holding hands.

They held hands all the way back, not noticing until they had to let go.

"Well Ms. Penelope, you're back home safe and sound."

"Thanks for feeding me, Huckleberry." Maya smiled up at him, in a rare open grin.

"See you tomorrow at school."

"Hey! Text me so I know you got home all right, okay?" She called out suddenly.

"I will." He called back, grinning like a fool as Maya went inside her building, waiting until the light in her window came on.

Then he started walking home, retracing his steps from earlier that afternoon. Puzzled by how natural had felt to hold Maya's hand as they walked, something that had felt so alien and just plain weird when he tried it with Riley, in those 2 hours when they had been boyfriend and girlfriend.

Maya's hand had just fit right into his, surprising the hell out of him by how good it felt.

But then again, Maya Penelope Heart always surprised him.

* * *

A/N: There it is! I hope you enjoyed it!

Love,

Clavie


	2. Chapter 2 - The Thing About Pluto

**Thanks everyone for your kind words! You are all way too nice!**

 **Thanks to Sandy, for helping me get unstuck.**

 **This is set around Girl Mets Pluto**

* * *

 **Chapter Two:**

 **THE THING ABOUT PLUTO**

It was lunch hour at John Quincy Adams' middle, and Riley was still in a state of shock over discovering Pluto was no longer a planet, something that was amusing Lucas no-end.

"I really can't believe she didn't know." He said as he and Maya walked behind Farkle and Riley on the way to the cafeteria.

"We, The Riley Committee, take our job seriously, Huckleberry."

"Too seriously I would say."

"What do you mean?" Maya said, a little defensive.

"Well, I know you guys do it out of love, but you shield her too much." Lucas said and then braced for the retort Maya was sure to deliver, but instead he got a surprise when she just sighed.

"I know it seems like we go too far to protect her, but she has been like that since I met her, and the fact that she hasn't lost her… child-like wonder is one of the things I love best about Riley. It is a lot of work, sure, but I want her to be happy."

"That's sweet of you." Lucas said, genuinely surprised by the way Maya had dropped her guard for a moment.

"Don't call me sweet! I have a rep to protect!" Maya said, but she had grinned, for a moment, before she remembered to be cool.

"I stand corrected." He said, tipping his imaginary hat.

Maya rolled her eyes at him, "Once a Ranger Rick, always a Ranger Rick."

"Always at your service." He said, holding the cafeteria door open for her.

* * *

For the rest of the day, Riley had been in a little daze, the only thing that had cheered her up was the idea of making a time capsule like her parents and their best friends had done 15 years before, and she had talked the three of them into doing it that very same afternoon.

Of course, Lucas had basketball practice after class, but said he would join them later at Topanga's (and he had to stop at home for what he wanted to put in the capsule anyway).

He was a little distracted, trying to remember where that penny his Grandfather had given him after his first kiddy rodeo had landed after the New York move, so he almost walked right by the Art Room, even though he was supposed to pick up Maya who had 'studio' time there every Wednesday and Friday, as he had been doing the last few weeks since it aligned with his Basketball practice.

Thankfully, Maya was humming loudly to some song he didn't quite recognize, and her voice pulled him out of his daze.

"Maya?" He called as he walked into the room, heading for her usual spot at far end of the room, where light was best.

She startled, but kept her hands steady, which amazed Lucas, then again, she an artist and had the fine motor skills down. "Sundance!" She said vexed, pulling out her headphones. "You scared me."

"Sorry. Didn't mean to."

"Is it Four already?" She asked, looking at the big, paint splattered clock on the opposite wall.

"More like 4:15." Lucas said.

"Just as well." Maya said, standing up and gathering her brushes to go wash them. "I just really wanted to finish this today."

While she was busy with at the sink, washing her brushes with turpentine and water, Lucas took a peek at the canvas. "Hey!" He said with happy surprise as he recognized the subject. "Isn't this…?"

"Yeah, it is." Maya said quickly, still a little uncomfortable when people looked at her art.

"It's great, Maya." He said sincerely, looking again at the single sunflower on a colorful vase in front of a window, being hit by the sunlight and causing the yellow petals to reflect a full rainbow of colors. "I should give you flowers more often if this is what you do with them."

"Don't flatter yourself." Maya said, scrubbing her brushes a little too hard, but then stopping herself (these were the brushes she had saved all summer for, she wasn't about to mistreat them for a boy!) "It was just a really cute flower."

She dried her brushes and replaced them methodically in their little case – just about the only school related thing she carried regularly, while her books and notes tended to be left at home as often as not – and then went to move the canvas away from the sun so the oil paint would dry better.

"Do you want me to do that?" He asked, as the canvas was big, probably heavy.

"I got it, Huckleberry." She said, not quite trusting anyone with her work yet, especially at this stage where the possibility for smudges was high.

While she was busy setting her canvas and saying goodbye to Miss Cosell, Lucas folded the easel and straightened the table Maya had been using.

"I'm curious about something, though." She said as she came back and unlaced the work apron she wore over her clothes. "How did you know I love sunflowers?"

"Uh?"

"You told me you knew they were my favorite, when you gave it to me. How did you know?"

"Oh, well…. You have a poster of Van Gogh's sunflowers in your room, and you always stop to look at them when we walk by that flower shop near the subway station…. I just paid attention."

"Uh," Maya said, picking up her bag.

"I have a question for you," Lucas said, as they fell into step and he adjusted his longer stride to fit her shorter legs.

"Shoot, Ranger Rick."

"Why weren't you surprised about the whole "I used to be a delinquent" thing?"

"Just paid attention, I guess." Maya nodded. "You have a temper, you know? You hide it well, but it comes out when you care about something, like when Billy was bullying Farkle or when your Dad wouldn't let you keep going back to Austin every weekend, last year."

"I see." He said, remembering how he had gone off at Maya and Riley that time. And that yeah, he would have hit Billy if Maya hadn't jumped on his back to hold him back.

Like all 100 pounds of her would have made a difference if he had gone off at Billy… only that they had, because the moment she had jumped him, he had been more worried about not dropping her than about bashing Billy's face.

"Plus, you are too good at playing our little game so I knew there had to be a bit of darkness under all that Mr. Perfect stuff." Maya added.

They walked in silence for a while. "Hey, do you mind if we stop by my house for a moment?"

"Sure." Maya said, already envisioning the glass of sweet tea Mrs. Friar was sure to push in her hand the second she walked through the door.

Much as she had made fun of the Friars while working at the Hart & Friar Muffins project, Maya secretly loved Lucas' mom. Not as much as she loved Topanga, but Mrs. Friar was one hell of a cook and she always had homemade treats ready whenever Maya stopped by. And she gave really good hugs too.

And though she would never admit it, Maya kind of loved how Lucas's Texan drawl deepened whenever he was around his Mom, whose own voice dripped of magnolia and sweet tea.

"I have to pick up the thing for the capsule." Lucas elaborated. "Have you decided what are you going to put in it?"

"I'm not playing." Maya said.

"Why not?"

"I don't like to think too much about the future. I'm fine believing nothing much is gonna happen for me. If you hope for things you get disappointed."

Lucas stopped, "Maya." He said simply.

"I went really depressing, didn't I?" She said, looking away. "Sorry. I'm just not one of those dreamers like Riley."

"No one is a dreamer like Riley." Lucas said.

"She is a little sparkly pink unicorn, isn't she?" Maya said with a grin.

"So are you, Maya. Probably a black one that breathes fire, but totally sparkly all the same."

"You don't know much about unicorns, do you?"

"Well, they are basically horses, right?"

Maya laughed so hard she snorted, "Oh Cowboy, you are so clueless sometimes." She said, and kept laughing all the way to his apartment.


	3. Bonus: The Cowboy Side

**Hello guys! Alex/Clavie/Lexiegirlstuff over here.**

 **Wanna thank you for reading and liking the story! And Thank Sandy because she rocks and helps me not to be too wordy!.**

 **Hoalover716:** Well, everything is happening The New world episode, where Lucas and Riley decided to be friends. So the way I'm writing it, like what I got in my head when I write, is that Lucas is already moving away from his liking on Riley (which I believe he did on some level), and realizing they are much better suited as friends, his feelings are already shifting toward Maya. Riley is still clinging a little to her crush but she will soon begin seeing the subtext between Maya and Lucas, Farkle might have done so already. Mmm... Maybe I Should write something from his POV.

* * *

 **Bonus: The Cowboy Side (or The Thing About Pluto part 2)**

"Are you really not going to tell us what you put in the capsule?" Lucas asked as he and Maya waited their turn at the sink to wash their hands after Riley made them dig in a little patch of garden behind Topanga's.

"Nope. It shall remain secret for the next fifteen years." Maya said with a nod. "Y'all are just going to have to wait."

"Did you just 'y'all' me?"

"Urgh, I did. You are rubbing on me." Maya said, rubbing her dirty hands on Lucas' shirt.

"I'm sorry, but I have to say it…" Lucas said with a grin.

"Don't you-"

"Ha Hurr!" He said, leaning into her quickly so they were right in each other's faces, the way she always did to him.

"-dare." Maya sighed, then blinked rapidly when Lucas didn't move back quickly, they way she usually did.

"Hey guys!" Farkle said, startling them. "Sink's all yours."

"Thanks," Maya said, pushing past both Farkle and Lucas.

Lucas followed her and they had a little splash war as they both tried to use the sink at the same time, which ended with Lucas letting her go first, because he always would.

"Hey, you're coming over tomorrow, right?"

"For chilli night?" Maya asked, perking up. She had been going to the bi-weekly chilli night at the Friar's since the Hart & Friar Muffin's project last year.

"And home made cornbread." He said in a singsong voice, knowing Maya loved his mom's cornbread.

"You are just trying to tempt me to the Cowboy Side of the Force." Maya muttered darkly as she dried her hands.

"We got chilli, if not cookies."

* * *

A/N: Thats it, little bonus between chapters. Also, if anyone got a specific question, feel free to ask I'll try to answer in the following chapter.

Cheers!

Clavie


	4. Chapter 3 - Dealing With It

**Hey guys! Sorry for the delay. I got sick over the week and wasn't feeling up to much, but here its the latest chapter with a bonus chapter coming soon too.**

 **As always, thanks for reading. And thanks to Sandy-belle for reading this first ;)**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter 3: Dealing With It**

 _Set After Girl Meets Mr. Squirrels._

It certainly had been an eventful week. Maya had never been at war with Riley before in all their years of friendship, and not talking felt like a part of her was missing **.** Maya hoped never to be as dangerously at odds with her best friend ever again, but also took comfort in knowing that if it happened again, she and Riley would see it through… though they might require the help of the mayor of St. Upid Town.

That only left one Ranger Rick to deal with and a perfect revenge to plan. Which had Maya, Saturday morning, still in her PJs plotting about it. It had to be something big, even though she had already admitted she was not mad at him.

A new nickname? Too easy… Messing up his hair? Farkle had already tried (and failed)… Maybe salt in his sloppy joe on Monday…

She was pondering this, and pondering if she should make the trip to the Mathews' for some breakfast or stick to cereal in her own house when the doorbell to her apartment rang.

Maybe she was too sleepy or something, because she opened the door automatically… and came face to face with Lucas.

"Why didn't you ask who was at the door? I could be a serial killer." Lucas said, frowning at her as he stood at the door.

"But you are a Ranger Rick instead and will keep me safe!" Maya said, still not moving to let him pass. "What are you doing here? And at the door. You never use the door. This is new."

"I thought you might push me out if I tried the window."

"I already told you I'm not mad at you."

"So there will be no 'dealing with me later'?" Lucas asked, surprised.

"I didn't say that. It's just not later, yet." Maya grinned.

"Salt in my sloppy joe on Monday?" Lucas wondered.

Maya glared and pointed at him "You are not playing this right!" She said, like she used to do all throughout the past year.

"That's what I thought, which is why I came here in a preventive strike."

"You want to negotiate?"

"And buy you breakfast…"

"Keep talking…" Maya said, interested and a little embarrassed when her stomach rumbled.

"You know you wanna go."

Maya glared but said, "Just be quiet, Grammy is still asleep so don't wake her up."

"Wouldn't dream of it." He said as Maya went to her room and came back in record time wearing simple jeans and a paint splattered t-shirt; a much simpler look than anything she would ever wear to school.

"So, tell me cowboy, where are we going?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Could it be pancakes? It's gonna be pancakes. Pancakes, isn't it? Pancakes?" She said, recalling the name he had called her.

"I would never…" he started but then just nodded, "Yeah."

"They better be good."

* * *

It was strange being at a different place than their little dinner – which was where they always wound up when they weren't at Topanga's with Farkle and Riley – but Lucas had felt like going somewhere different this time, and he also knew that Maya didn't like the weekend cook at their diner as much as she liked the one that was there Monday through Friday.

 _"He gets sloppy if there are too many people. " She said once when he had asked why. "It makes waitresses lives that much harder when the kitchen is sloppy."_

He figured it had something to do with her mom working at the Nighthawk Diner before, but in any case, it was Saturday and they were forced to go a little father than usual for their breakfast.

The little café where they settled had big windows that looked to the busy street, and they sat on a table in front of one of them. And ordered before getting down to business.

"I'm sorry I called you a short, little stake of pancakes." Lucas said sincerely, "I was annoyed that day and it was the first thing that came to mind. I thought it was a bit lame, actually."

"Not your best work, Huckleberry." Maya admitted.

"And I didn't know you cared so much about your height. You're always so confident and-"

"I act confident so I don't feel short." Maya admitted. "Plus, it wasn't really about you."

"But I started it."

"Debatable, but you'll have to pay anyway."

"You don't mean just for breakfast, do you?"

"Nope." Maya said as they waitress set their order on the table, along with butter and three different kinds of syrup. "Now pass the butter." Maya said.

Lucas took one of the little foil wrapped squares of butter, and held it in his hands for several seconds.

"What are you doing?"

"Warming the butter? I hate when it's so cold it won't melt." Lucas said deciding the butter was warm enough, pausing to open the packet before passing it to Maya.

"Ain't you a right proper gentleman," Maya said with a grin as he repeated the process with another square.

"Shut up." Lucas said playfully, and they dug in, deciding to wait until they were done to discuss what Maya's revenge was going to be. Instead they discussed how weird Riley's Uncle Eric was and where exactly St. Upid Town was?

Later, feeling stuffed and generous, Maya decided on her punishment for Lucas as he stood up to settle their bill. She found a little printed menu for the specials on the table, and she turned it over so she could write on the back.

She was still laboring over it when Lucas came back. Wordlessly, Maya pushed the paper to him.

" _Here by, Lucas Friar agrees to do the following things for Maya Hart every time she asks."_ Lucas read. " _One. Get stuff off high shelves. Two. Lift her so she can see above people in crowds. And Three. Buy her pancakes any time she wants_." He finished. "What's this?"

"My revenge." Maya said.

"You are going soft on me, Hart." Lucas said, but then he took the pen.

"It's the maple syrup. Syrup makes me happy." Maya said, watching as he signed the paper on the dotted line she had made over his name at the bottom of the page (where she had also included all the names she called him). And then wrote (Pancake) under Maya's name where she had signed at the bottom too.

Maya laughed as she took the paper back from him, "I'm going to frame this."

Lucas rolled his eyes at her, "Come on, we going to the movies with Farkle and Riley."

"We are?"

"Yeah, he texted all of us, like, five minutes ago. You must not have heard. Told him we would meet them there."

"What are we watching? Whose time to pick is, anyway?"

"Farkle's."

"As long as it doesn't have subtitles this time." Maya grumbled as they made their way outside and to the nearest subway station.


	5. Bonus: Butter

**Hello! This chapter takes place outside the main continuity.**

 **I'm working on the chapter for Tot, I thought I was going to skip it but I found something to do with it instead. I'm excited.**

 _ **tiramisuspice**_ : Thanks! I'm trying to keep it as close to the episodes as much as I can and for as long as I can. I suppose I will eventually age them up and finish the story, but my ideal is to keep with the episodes at least until the end of season 2. I have never done something like this before though, so I'm don't know how doable it is.

 **As always, thanks for reading and reviewing. And to Sandy for cheering me on :)**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Bonus – BUTTER (Dealing with it Part 2)**

 _Set an indeterminate time in Middle Grade future…_

 _Farkle perspective_

It was the little things that began to change…or maybe it was just the little things Farkle noticed first.

Like that time he had come out of the bathroom to see Maya and Lucas face to face, practically breathing the same air, suspended for a moment in time.

Or the amount of times they showed up together when the four (or five when they included Zay) of them decided to do something as a group.

Or when Lucas started to sit next to Maya all the time rather than next to him or Riley, like he used to when they first became friends.

Or maybe it was that time they were at Riley's favorite restaurant for her birthday dinner – since Auggie had been sick all week, her parents hadn't had time to put a party together, so they took Riley's closest friends to her favorite Italian place.

It had been loud and fun that night, everyone talking at once and sharing a Riley story or another from the past year. They had just brought out the bread baskets for the table when he saw it: Lucas taking a packet of butter, holding it in his hands for several seconds and then passing it to Maya, who took it automatically (like she expected this) and began to spread the butter on her dinner roll.

"What did you do that for?" Farkle asked, while at the other side of the table Mr. Mathews got a little teary-eyed retelling the story of Riley's birth (which Farkle had heard every year on Riley's birthday since becoming friends, so he didn't pay much attention to it).

"What?" Maya said confused, looking down at her place setting, and not noticing anything out of the ordinary. "What are you talking about Farkle?"

"The butter thing."

"Oh, that." Maya said. "It's just a weird habit of our Ranger Rick. He hates stone-cold butter."

"I do." Lucas chimed in.

"Good thing you always have warm hands," Maya said, taking Lucas' hand and practically shoving it on Farkle's face. "See?" She added to Farkle.

"A little too close for comfort." Farkle mumbled in reply.

"At least they are not cold all the time, like yours." Lucas said and with a quick movement reversed the position of their hands, this time practically shoving Maya's hand at Farkle.

"I know she has cold hands. I have kissed her hand."

"Don't remind me." Maya said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, yeah." Lucas said with a smile, pulling their hands back, casually keeping Maya's hand in his for a few seconds too many before letting go.

Things went back to normal after that, Farkle thought, but for the rest of the night he couldn't shake the feeling that 'something' had shifted in his group of friends already… but he wasn't sure if anyone else saw it yet.

By anyone else he meant Riley, of course, and for the life of him he couldn't fathom what would happen when she did.


	6. Chapter 4 - The Tell-Tale Pie

**Hello everyone! Here is the latest installment, I hope you enjoy. I don't know what's with me and food and this series because it always comes up.**

 **Thanks everyone for reading, and to Sandy, always, for being awesome.**

 **frostystuffs** **:** Riley's reaction is going to be a surprise to Maya... and let's just say I don't enjoy girl-on-girl hate for a boy, and leave it at that. :)

 **Sparksy97** **:** Farkle sees all!

 **Areyl** **:** Thank you! I try to keep their interactions as true to character as I can, based on what we have seen of them so far.

* * *

 **Chapter 4 – The Tell - Tale Pie**

 _(Set a few days after Tot)_

Being grounded was not fun at all; Maya had already survived 10 days of no phone, no outings and no Internet. She was only allowed to walk to and from school with Riley, but they couldn't hang out.

Mr. Mathews had even put them on different teams for the latest group assignment – neither of them got to be with Farkle or Lucas either, because they amounted to 'hanging out with friends' even if they were both such nerds they actually forced Maya to do her homework whenever she partnered up with either of them.

It just wasn't fair.

And tonight was Chili Night at the Friar's. And Maya was at home, sketching and putting off homework.

She was pondering her misfortunes when her window began to slide up. Far from being surprised, Maya put down her sketchbook and walked to it.

"What's up, Hop along?" She said cheerfully.

"Hey." He said, popping his head in.

Maya came closer and pulled him by the shirt, "You look happy. Tell me… was it delicious?"

"It always is." He said. "I tried to save you some, but we just ate it all. We Friars are pigs that way."

"So you just came to rub it on my face?" Maya asked, doing her best to impersonate a wounded woodland creature, but not quite selling it due to the smirk lurking in the corner of her lips.

"No. I brought you pie," He said, pulling out the little plastic container.

"Pie?"

"Pecan Pie," He said, opening the box to reveal a perfect slice of glistening pecan pie, dotted with a border of whipped cream.

"My Grandma made it; she brought the pecans from Texas herself. Mama didn't want you to miss it."

"Right! Your grandparents are visiting." Maya said, taking the container.

"Maya! Are you talking to Riley?" Katy said as she opened the door of Maya's bedroom.

"No, Mom, its just Lucas." Maya said, moving away from the window a little. "He brought me pie."

"Oh." Katy said, looking at the two of them. "Hello, Lucas."

"Hello Mrs. Hart." Lucas said, all good manners and charm. "I almost forgot," he said suddenly, digging though his pockets. "My Mama told me to give you this," He said as he gave Maya's mom a folded paper. "It's her number, she says you can call her any time, and that she's sorry she didn't check with you if it was okay Maya came over for Chili Night, she thought Maya had permission all along."

"Isn't that sweet of her?" Katy said, taking the paper. "I'll give her a call." She stared at the two of them for a moment longer, Maya leaning against the wall next to her window, Lucas outside, probably in an uncomfortable position. "Well, Okay, you two have five minutes, then homework, Maya."

"Yes, Mom." Maya said.

"Five minutes." Katy said, leaving the room but not closing the door all the way on her way out.

Maya took a bite of her pie and chewed.

"I thought she was going to kick me out." Lucas said, re-adjusting his position.

"Nah, she isn't bloodthirsty enough for this punishment business. I'm not even grounded for all the things I told her I have done. She said there was no point on getting mad over the old stuff since she should have been paying more attention anyway, so I got the same two weeks as Riley for sneaking out."

"It was dumb to sneak out." Lucas said. "Anything could have happened at the campus, I know you think you're tough, Maya, but you still are a short, little stack of pancakes."

"I am tough, Huckleberry." Maya said, affronted. "But you are right… I felt bad for dragging Riley into it too. And I knew it was a mistake going. I knew it the second we walked in… I just, I don't know."

"You wanted to see Riley's uncle."

"Yeah, the more he told me I was too young, the more I wanted to prove that I wasn't."

"That's a stupid reason to do something. And you are not stupid, Maya Penelope Hart."

"Not stupid, but-" Maya said carefully, voicing something that worried her constantly but that she hadn't been able to verbalize until now. "Maybe I'm one of those people who never gets to be happy because they are always wanting what they can't have."

"Maya. You are going to be happy. And many wonderful things will happen to you, you just have to let them in." Lucas said, all seriousness.

"And there's my fortune cookie." Maya said with a grin.

"Whatever." Lucas countered.

"And that's my 90's teenage girl."

Lucas just rolled his eyes and changed subjects. "So, how is solitary confinement treating you?"

Maya looked toward the door, "You know, it hasn't been so bad. Mom has been home almost every night and she helps me with my homework – she's weirdly good at math and at remembering stuff – and we are talking more about my dad too, that's good. And last Friday we stayed up all night and watched 5 Audrey Hepburn movies in a row. "

"That's a lot of Audrey."

"Mom likes her because she was a great actress. I like her because she reminds me of Riley."

"Which movie was your favorite?"

"I couldn't pick! I liked most of them… except for the last one where she was a nun. She goes through all this trouble to become a nun and go to Sierra Leone and then she meets this handsome doctor there and they flirt like mad – even though she's wearing one of those weird head pieces – and then he saves her life… and then she just leaves Sierra Leone, goes back to, like Belgium and stops being a nun! When the guy is no longer in the picture!"

"Got you all worked up, didn't it?"

"Yes, yes it did." Maya said, breathing out.

"I have never seen you like this. It's more of a Riley thing."

"Well, Riley is the best part of me, so." She shrugged, eating another bite of pie – which was almost gone and that was sad.

"So, if Riley is the best part of you… what's, say, Farkle?"

Maya thought about it for a second, "He's my confidence. He always sees the best in me… he's one of the few people who has ever told me I'm smart. He makes me better… and if you tell him I said that -"

"You will jack me up, I know." Lucas said, smiling at how uncomfortable Maya got when talking about stuff that really mattered to her. "And what am I?"

"You are my moral compass." She said without hesitation.

"For real? Or are you being sarcastic."

"For real."

"Why me and not Riley."

"Riley sees the world as she would want it to be, she doesn't see the greys yet. You do. Plus you have messed up enough that you don't get judgy even if you have some moral high ground."

"I see my high ground as more of a molehill." Lucas said thoughtfully.

"Well, mine tends to be a hole on the ground so you work for me."

"Always at your service, ma'am." He said, tilting his imaginary cowboy hat. "And on that note, I should probably go."

Maya grinned, looking at the clock next to her bed. "Look at that, you made it to seven minutes! You wild Huckleberry, you"

"I like to live dangerously," Lucas said, which made Maya laugh in his face.


	7. Bonus 3: Birthday Pie

**Hello everyone! This one is a long bonus chapter! I hope you enjoy.**

 **Thanks to Sandy, always, for being an awesome first reader.**

 **Thanks for all the comments & reviews**

* * *

 **Bonus 3: Birthday Pie (The Tell-Tale Pie part 2)**

 _Set sometime in eight-grade future, on Lucas's birthday whenever that is._

"Left," Maya said, "There is a step. Door! Lucas, I said door!"

"You know, this would be a whole lot easier if you weren't on my back and covering my eyes." Lucas complained, his hands resting on Maya's knees as she clung to him piggyback style.

"Don't whine, it isn't becoming, Birthday Boy." Maya countered. "And, right, here we are." She waited until he stopped to remove her hands from his eyes. "Ta da!"

Lucas had had expected a prank. He could have handled a prank; what he hadn't expected was their usual cafeteria table decked out with balloons and streamers – Riley's doing – and a large banner that read "Happy Birthday Lucas!" right above his seat.

"What is this?"

"Well, we know your mom is throwing you a party on Saturday, but we wanted to do something nice for you on the actual day," Riley explained.

"Thank you guys, this is great." Lucas said, feeling touched He had been feeling a little off lately on account of his being a year older than everyone else. It didn't bother him usually, but it hit home around his birthday.

"It's not over yet," Maya said, pointing to the covered tray in the middle of the table.

Farkle uncovered the tray with a flourish and Lucas was surprised to find a perfectly golden "Deep dish cherry pie. My favorite." Lucas exclaimed.

Lucas made the honors, cutting a slice for everyone, even Lunch Lady Geraldine and Janitor Harley.

"Oh. My. God. It tastes just like my Grandma's"

"It should! It's her recipe!" Maya said, sitting down and starting on her slice. Feeling really proud that he and everyone were enjoying it.

"Say what?" Lucas asked.

"Well… I called you mom to ask which one was your favorite and she called your Grandma Ruth, and long story short, I got up at 6 this morning to Skype with her, she guided me step by step."

"You got up at 6 to Skype with my Grandma Ruth?"

"Yeah, she's super adorbs. She told me I'm a doll and that my 'yank accent' is funny. She loves to talk. About you, mostly."

"Does she, really?" Lucas said, feeling a little nervous.

"Lets just say that now I know what you wanted your Rodeo Star Name to be, and it wasn't exactly Mad Dog-"

"Maya-"

"Oh, don't worry, Ranger Rick," Maya said, "You get a pass today because it's your birthday." Impulsively, she went and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Though tomorrow I might or might not share a picture of you, in full cowboy regalia from your mutton bustin' days."

"It' s really good Maya, I didn't know you could bake." Farkle said from across the table.

"I can't, but I'm really good at following a recipe, apparently." Maya shrugged with modesty.

"I have had Grandma Ruth's version, and trust me girl, yours is really good." Zay said,

"Thank you, Maya. All of your, really, for going through all this trouble."

"No trouble at all," Riley said.

"Yeah, yeah, now tell me, is your Mama making me chili for your birthday?" Maya asked.

"What's with you and chili?" Lucas asked, amused.

"Hey, the heart wants what the heart wants." Maya said, unapologetic.

Lucas rolled his eyes, "No Maya, she's making real Texas style barbecue."

"Is it as good as the chili?"

"You'll see."

* * *

Lucas' birthday party was eye opening for Riley, it was definitely when things started to add up. Maybe it was the way Lucas' mom – whom Riley had never met until that day – greeted Maya like she had just come back from the war, giving her a huge hug or the way 'don't-touch-me-I-mean-it' Maya returned the hug.

How Mrs. Friar thanked them for coming over early to help set up and then ran off back to the little utility balcony at the back of the apartment – where a small smoker had been set - with a wave and a "Maya knows where everything is," where upon Maya proved that she did in fact know where Mrs. Friar kept stuff like napkins and spare cutlery, and how to get to the building's roof garden where the party was going to take place.

Or maybe it was later, when all of their other classmates had come and gone, and it was just the four of them – Farkle, Maya, Riley and Lucas – lounging around, trying not to fall into a food coma after having consumed what must have been a whole side of beef and way too many ribs.

"Okay, it's decided." Maya said, whipping her face after finishing the last of the ribs. "We are serving barbecue at our wedding, Ranger Rick."

"We getting married?" Lucas asked sleepily.

"Grandma Ruth said that's the only way I get the chili recipe."

Lucas blinked, "Will you share the chili with me?"

Maya thought about it, "Will you do the dishes?"

"I would," Lucas nodded.

"Deal," Maya said, extending her hand to shake his, before promptly rolling over and falling asleep.

"You know, now I'm really curious about this chili you people keep going on about," Farkle said, rousing enough to resettle on his seat, missing and falling down.

Maya just snored in response and everyone laughed, which woke her up, and she got annoyed and then they were all badly singing karaoke and things went back to normal.

But Riley had seen… seen that there was definitely something between Maya and Lucas, and that for once it wasn't her.


	8. Chapter 5 - One Rainy Night

**Hello everyone! I hope you enjoy this one! It was fun to write.**

 **Thanks to Sandy because she is The Best.**

 _ **lucayafan2000:** Thank you :D_

 _ **Sparksy97:** Never fear! I can't say much about right now, but I don't like the idea of besties fighting over a boy. _

_**RosesAreRed464:** Thank you :D_

 _ **Hoalover716:** Riley is seeing, right now she's confused, but things will figure themselves out. _

_**Thecellist90:** Thank you! that's so sweet! :D_

 _ **emi2901:** Glad you are enjoying it :D_

 _ **Areyl:** Thank you, :) I hope you guys like it when I get to That conversation between Maya and Riley. _

_**frostystuffs:** Riley is figuring things out right now, I hope I can speed up things soon :)_

 _ **Karen:** Thank you :D *blushes*_

 _ **Guest:** they ages make no sense to me. I was 14 when I was in the tenth grade, I'm clueless about what age they are supposed to be. _

**Thank you for all the lovely comments! Onto the chapter!**

* * *

 **WALK ME HOME**

 _ **Chapter Five - One Rainy Night**_

 _(set a few weeks after Girl Meets Rules)_

It was all Lucas's fault, and Maya would not hesitate to tell him so once she FINALLY got to his apartment.

" _Let's study at my place,"_ he said.

" _My mom will make snacks!"_ He said.

" _It's not going to rain!"_

HA!

But of course, the second she got off he subway the sky had opened up and now, after walking the two blocks from the station to his place, Maya was drenched.

Hell, she made a puddle in the elevator as she went up to his floor.

"You look like a wet cat!" Farkle said when Maya came in.

He looked warm and dry, which only aggravated Maya more. He and Riley had come over straight out of school with Lucas, while she had had to run home to get her notes and books because, once again, she had left them there and even Riley had told her it was her problem for never keeping track of where she left her school work – Riley was really cracking down on Maya about that lately, cryptically saying 'we won't be in middle school forever, grades will matter in high school'.

Which was such a Riley thing to say, but Maya appreciated the thought.

"Oh, honey, you are soaked." Mrs. Friar said, throwing a fluffy blue towel over her. "You need to get out of those wet things."

"It's fine, Mrs. Friar."

"No, it's not. You'll get sick. Lucas, find her some clothes."

"Come on back," Lucas said, taking a still towel wrapped Maya to his room.

"This is all your fault." Maya muttered like an ill-tempered kitten.

"How is it my fault?"

"You suggested we studied here. And I was promised snacks."

"Maya, honey, do you want hot chocolate to warm up?" Mrs. Friar called from the kitchen.

"Yes!" Maya called back, sounding like an excited five year-old.

"With marshmallows?"

"Always!"

Lucas laughed as he rummaged around in the back of his closet, coming up with a pair of track shorts he had outgrown ages ago but that somehow had survived the move and wound up in the back of his closet.

"These should be alright."

"Are they clean?"

"Are you doubting my mom's housekeeping skills?"

"No, but you are a boy, boys aren't to be trusted with cleanliness."

"My room is cleaner than yours." He said.

"That ain't saying much." Maya said, taking the short and sniffing them cautiously.

"T-shirts are in the second drawer, grab whatever you like. Don't snoop."

He might as well have said, 'Don't breathe'. This was the first guy's room Maya had ever been in; of course she was going to snoop. Or that was her plan until she stumbled into the Holy Grail in that second drawer.

The t-shirt was purple with gold lettering that read LUCAS THE GOOD. Maya wasted no time and put it on, even though it reached to the top of her thighs and was comically big on her.

"Maya, chocolate is ready." Lucas said, knocking before coming in and then stopping, "Wh-where did you find that."

"Were you trying to hide this from me, Ranger Rick?" Maya said, twirling.

"Farkle gave it to me as a joke, you know his uncle is in the T-shirt business." Lucas said, talking fast. "And it really is too big on you, Short Shack, why don't you grab something else?"

"No, no, no." Maya said, "I own this now. This puppy is coming home with me."

"Maya!"

"I. Can't. Hear. You. Ba da la la la la la" Maya sang, before running back to the kitchen, though Lucas did manage to catch her and forcibly put a hoodie on her so at least their friends wouldn't see the t-shirt.

And he also thanked his starts Maya hadn't found the "Call Me Mad-Dog" t-shirt Farkle had given him as well, or the fact that Farkle had a matching one that said "I'm batman." Or neither of them would ever hear the end of it.

They studied for the rest of the afternoon as the rain poured on with no signs of stopping. Mrs. Friar made them spicy enchiladas for dinner, since it was getting late – which Maya helped her prepare because she couldn't take studying for the bio quiz one moment longer.

And then, around 8:30 Mr. Friar arrived, even more soaked than Maya had been, announcing that he had heard on the radio that the subway service was suspended in the area, due to the rain and that traffic was insane.

"All right, dears, call you houses, you staying for the night." Mrs. Friar said, since she wasn't about to send those kids out in the rain, and it would be too much of a hassle for their parents to come.

"It feels weird sleeping in a guy's bed." Riley complained, tossing and turning, without even bringing herself to get under the covers of Lucas's bed since, of course, Mrs. Friar had insisted the girls take the bed.

"Sleep with the guys on the couch, then." Maya said, rolling over and punching Lucas's pillow to better fit it under her head. It smelled vaguely of pine, and she found it comforting.

"Maya!" Riley complained.

"I'm sure one of them will sleep on the floor for you."

"You think?"

"Probably." She mumbled, settling in.

She vaguely heard the rustling as Riley got up, already more asleep than awake when Lucas showed up at the door.

"Riley took my couch," He told Maya.

"Aww, you poor Cowboy, you." Maya said, nestling into the covers, completely unconcerned.

"Can I sleep here? Farkle snores and the carpet is plushier."

"Knock yourself out." Maya said, sitting up a little and watching as Lucas' improvised a bed with blankets.

"Good night, Maya." Lucas' said, settling in.

They were quiet for a moment.

"Lucas," Maya said after about five minutes.

"What?" He said, sounding just as awake as she.

"Do you snore?"

"Not that I know of." He said, putting his arms under his head. "Do you?"

"Only to annoy Riley."

"Okay."

There was another pause.

"Lucas?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me a story."

"A spooky story?"

"Are they other kinds?"

Lucas laughed and then began to spin a spooky tale about a dog and some hikers and how it was a bad omen, drawing Maya in, she was almost at the edge of the bed as he reached the end of the story.

"… And then…" he said, pausing dramatically before sitting up and whisper-yelling "Boo!" right on Maya's face.

Maya gasped first and then got annoyed, "Lucas, you jerk!" She said, reaching down to punch him while he laughed quietly.

Lucas grabbed her hand, petting the back of it, "I'm sorry," he said, still laughing. "Do you want me to tell you another."

"Okay, but don't be a jerk this time." Maya said, lying back on the pillow, unconcerned by how Lucas kept her hand in his, playing with her fingers as he told a crazy story about a cemetery and creepy mausoleum.

Eventually they both fell asleep, their hands loosely clasped.

Which was how Lucas' mom found them in the morning. She paused in the open doorway, looking at them, how they were turned to each other, and their hands intertwined, even in sleep. It was sweet.

"Lucas, time to get up." She said, knocking on the door with her knuckles. "Maya, honey, your mom dropped off some clothes earlier, you can shower in my room."

"Thanks, Mrs. Friar." Maya mumbled, withdrawing her hand to rub the sleep off her eyes.

She vaguely heard Mrs. Friar waking Farkle and Riley as well.

"Go ahead, I'll make the bed." Lucas said, as he gathered the blankets he had used.

"Okay, thanks." Maya mumbled, almost sleep walking out of his room, the "Lucas The Good," t-shirt almost slipping off her shoulder.

That would be the last time he would see the t-shirt… for a while, anyway.


	9. Chapter 6 - Laundry Night

**Hello everyone, this is the new version of Chapter 6, the old version can now be seen as Chapter 21 with a few minor edits. This was done mostly so it would fit the timeline better. I didn't want to remove the chapter all together because then I would lose your lovely comments and thats the last thing I want.**

 **Thank you all for your patience and to Sandy for editing as usual :D**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter 6: Laundry Night**

Maya was sitting in her room sketching and putting off homework when Katy came in, an empty laundry basket hanging from her hand.

"I need to go to the café; one of the waitresses quit out of the blue."

"Okay, Mom."

"Could you get the load out of the washing machine while I'm gone? It should be done in about half an hour."

"Sure."

"Thanks," Katy said, settling down the basket. "Make sure to separate the sweater and t-shirt the Friars loaned you the night of the storm, so you can give them back."

"Of course," Maya said, thinking of the sweater Mrs. Friar had loaned her and the t-shirt she had stolen. One was definitely going back, but the other would live in her closet forever.

"Thank you, Babygirl," Katy said. "I'll try to be home soon."

"Don't worry Mom."

Half an hour later, Maya went down to the laundry room of her building for the load and since homework was still pretty unappealing, she decided to help her mom by folding and sorting the clothes.

She found the sweater Mrs. Friar had loaned her and folded it neatly, and put it on a paper bag so she could take it tomorrow when she went over for Chili Night. And then she took the purple "Lucas the Good" t-shirt and put it with her own pjs and other nightclothes. That puppy was never, ever going back.

The next day, Maya went home with Lucas after school (he had baseball practice and she had art class).

She returned the sweater with a thank-you note her mom made her write the night before and which she had decorated with colorful doodles during math class. Then Maya and Lucas did homework in his room for a while and waited for Mrs. Friar to call them to set the table.

After almost eating their weight in chili and cornbread, Lucas walked Maya home as he usually did.

She never mentioned the shirt, and he didn't bring it up either, but Maya didn't forget. In fact that t-shirt entered permanent rotation among her sleepwear (because it was really very comfy, even if it didn't smell like him anymore), and Maya was careful not to let her mom see it and that usually meant volunteering to do a load or two of laundry whenever the shirt ended up in the hamper.

And she was almost getting away with it. Almost.

"Babygirl," Katy called from the door as she brought in the laundry.

"Yeah?" Maya asked from the kitchen.

"Can you tell me what's this?"

"My t-shirt!" She said, rushing out to grab it but Katy held it out of reach. "It fell on the hamper by mistake."

"Your t-shirt?" Katy asked, pointing to the gold lettering spelling LUCAS. "I thought you had returned it weeks ago."

"I returned the sweater. But that's mine."

"Does Lucas even know you still have it?"

"I don't know, and it doesn't matter because it' M.I.N.E."

"It has his name on it."

"It could be any Lucas, pretty common name, you know? And Possession is 9/10ths of the law."

"I'm not sure that's how it works, Maya," Katy said. "And would you even be interested in it if it belonged to any other Lucas?"

"Well… no, but Mom, it's just too much fun to taunt him with it. It's our game."

Katy sighed. "Sometimes you make no sense to me at all." Then she added, "But now it's not one of those times.".

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll figure it out."

"You're not implying I have some sort of undue attachment to the shirt because it's Lucas'?"

"I thought it was yours."

"It is."

"Then what's the problem."

"That you are implying-"

"I haven't said anything," Katy said, surrendering the t-shirt. "But if it means nothing to you, you might as well return it."

"I will!" Maya said.

But she didn't.


	10. Bonus 4: Post Makeover Stress Disorder

**Bonus 4: Post Makeover Stress Disorder**

 _(set after Girl Meets Hurricane)_

Lucas noticed. He pretended he didn't but he totally did. Ever since Maya had spruced up her wardrobe people were looking. And by people he meant the boys from other classes and even some 9th graders.

No one from their own classroom though, since they all knew Maya was not to be messed with and, frankly, other than Yogi with Darby, most of the guys were still pretty happy not entering the boy-girl dynamics just yet.

But the others? They were looking and Lucas didn't like it.

And it wasn't like there was something wrong with her old clothes. to begin with Lucas had always appreciated the crazy outfits she wore sometimes. He was particularly fond of those gold sparkly shorts of hers that she had worn on Halloween, if he was to be honest. But why he was thinking about that, he had no idea.

Plus, it wasn't just the clothes. Maya seemed happier, a little lighter, like there was a weight off her shoulders. Mr. Matthews called it "hope." Lucas wasn't sure what it was but she seemed more open now, smiled more and, of course, boys noticed that too.

"Why the sour face, Ranger Rick?" Maya asked him once she caught him glaring at some 9th grade boys in between classes. "Did the cattle go off the range? Or did they steal your sheep?" She added, nodding her head toward the now dispersing group of boys.

"Nothing. It's nothing." Lucas said, snapping out of it. "Hey, do you wanna hit the movies this weekend?"

"Sure." Maya said as the bell rang. "I'll tell Riley, you tell Farkle."

"Great." He said, only half sarcastic. That wasn't really what he had been thinking, but what the heck? They always had a good time, the four of them. And he would probably end up sitting next to Maya anyway - since he always let her eat his popcorn - which was what he wanted.

Why he wanted that? He had no idea.

* * *

Hey guys! This one was really short! Sorry about that, I hope you like it anyway!Thanks to Sandy for all her help! Really, she keeps me sane.


	11. Bonus 5: Campaign Promises

**Bonus 5**

 **Campaign Promises**

 _Set After Mr. Squirrels Goes To Washington_

Maya had to admit there was something sweet about how earnest Lucas was about the whole election thing. It was almost the Hart- Friar Muffins all over again. But Maya understood Lucas better now, so she was less inclined to laugh at him.

And it had surprised Maya how knowledgeable he was about the political stuff. It made Maya feel like she should care more. Plus, it looked like Eric was really going to win the election, which was strange and amazing and maybe it really did signal the end of the world, but it made Maya feel like part of something special.

"I think we did something good today," Lucas said as he walked Maya home from Riley's house, after the senatorial debate.

Maya nodded "As I meant to say earlier: we might not have a vote yet, but we made a difference."

"I think so too."

They walked in silence for a little bit, before Maya asked, "So… does this mean you are running for class president again?"

"I haven't thought about it. I don't think I did much with it last year. Other than adding one more Pizza day a month, in the cafeteria."

"And your constituents thank you." Maya laughed, "But now I want pizza."

"We can go grab some. It's early yet."

"That'll be nice." Maya said, a new skip to her step as they took a detour.

They were almost to the pizza place they liked before Lucas spoke again. "You know… you could run for class president yourself, if you wanted."

Maya laughed again, though it was a little harsh at the edges. "Who would vote for me? I'm not a good student like Riley or Farkle. And I'm not Mr. Perfect either."

"You couldn't be Mr. Perfect if you tried." Lucas said with a smile. "But I bet lots of people would vote for you. Need I remind you that the population of Mayaville outnumbered Riley Town's 2 to 1?"

"That was just a game. And it ended in disaster."

"But it proves that people will follow you, and you know I'll be 100% behind my former secretary of state."

"Ha! You just wanted to get me out of the country!" Maya said, remembering what their classmate had said all those months ago.

"The thought has crossed my mind, yeah." Lucas said.

"Lucas!" Maya said annoyed, giving him a shove.

He laughed. She was 100 pounds soaking wet, if that. She was never going to move him. "Not in a while though." He admitted.

Maya gave him another shove, and he actually pretended to stumble a bit as a result just to appease her. For an annoyed Maya was a Maya who did not enjoy pizza, and that Maya was not fun to be around… not that he would trade her for the world.


	12. Chapter 7 - The Proof is in the IceCream

**Chapter Seven: The Proof is in the Ice Cream**

 _Set after Girl Meets New Teacher_

Pancake Breakfast became a bi-weekly standing appointment for Maya and Lucas. Whenever Katy had an early shift on Saturday at Topanga's, Lucas would take Maya out for breakfast.

They had decided to hit every breakfast place in their area, trying to find the best one and crossing off the ones they didn't like. Afterward they would walk around for a bit or catch up with Farkle and Riley.

One such morning, soon after the new English teacher arrived, they found themselves discussing The Dark Knight Returns, comics and the fact that, apparently, Lucas was a bit of a fanboy, as they enjoyed their pancakes.

After breakfast, Lucas took Maya to the little comic store he frequented.

"So," Maya said as she took in the store. "This is where you and Farkle hang out when Riley and I are in Demolition?"

"I've never brought Farkle here," Lucas said as he waved to the guy behind the register. "He's not that into comic books, he's a lot more into science and…"

"Not all geeks are created equal?"

"Pretty much." Lucas said, "Anyway, I discovered the store soon after I moved, I spent a lot of time here while my mom was driving everyone insane trying to set the apartment to rights."

"I can't imagine that. Your mom is always so put together."

"That's the southern belle inside her. And that she likes you. She doesn't suffer fools gladly and our movers were fools. Not fun to be around for that."

Maya laughed then re-focused. "Okay, so tell me what's good. What should I read after Dark Knight Returns?"

"I need more information first. What did you like about it?"

"I like to look at the pictures, so whatever you tell me it better have some good art."

"Okay," Lucas said, dragging Maya to the nearest wall exhibit and beginning to browse. "You'll like the new Ms. Marvel, art is different than in the Dark Knight returns. A lot more modern and the protagonist is, like 16, still figuring out how to work her powers, so you won't get tangled in continuity."

Maya began to leaf through the volume, "So, this is the old Ms. Marvel?" She asked, stopping on a panel midway through.

"Yeah. That's Carol Danvers."

"What happened to her?"

"What hasn't happened to her?! As a human she was a fighter pilot, then she was dead, then she wasn't, she was an Avenger, then she was an X-men companion, then there was some weird stuff I still don't get… now she goes by Captain Marvel." He said, passing Maya another book, "She's the most powerful superhero in the Marvel universe. Similar powers to Superman."

"That's cool." Maya said, taking the new book. "What else? Something not superhero-y?"

"Uh… um. Well, there is one about all the characters from classic fairy tales running around in New York City that's supposed to be really good."

"Nah." Maya said, looking around. "Uh, what are those?" She said, rushing to another wall featuring a distinctive artwork.

"That's Manga. Japanese. You read right to left. There are some pretty cool ones. There is this one about angels invading earth and trying to bring on the apocalypse-"

"Nope."

"Counter Terrorism Police in post apocalyptic Tokyo? With cyborgs and stuff…"

"Next."

"Japanese Hunger Games - though it was published almost 10 years prior?"

"It's like you are not even trying, Huckleberry."

Lucas scanned the shelves, "I haven't actually read a lot of these, you know so I'm not sure – Oh, I heard of this one. It's supposed to be scary."

"How scary?" Maya asked, interested.

"Supernatural revenge killings?"

"Don't read that," a new voice said as the guy Lucas had said hello when they came in materialized behind them.

"Why not?"

"All the people they kill are awful, but the price for the revenge killing is that you also go to hell. It's hardly fair." He said and then stuck his hand out. "I'm Jake."

"Hello, Jake." Maya said, "What do you suggest, then? Ranger Rick is striking out here."

"The cool, girly stuff is over here." He pointed to another section of the wall.

"Look, blond girl and dark-haired girl. Its like you and Riley." Lucas said, pointing at a random cover that read 'Ultra Maniac'

"I want to read me and Riley!" Maya said, snatching it from the rack.

"Don't you want to know what's about?" Jake asked.

"Nah, I'm good." Maya said, going to look at some Funkopop collectibles while Lucas picked the newest issues of the comics he followed. Then he just grabbed the ones Maya was holding and paid for them before she could even get her wallet out.

This did not sit well with Maya. It was something that struck her when they were walking outside and he asked her if she wanted to stop for ice cream or something before they headed home.

Lucas was always paying for everything. And sure, their pancake breakfasts were one thing; it was their deal. But he didn't have to pay for everything when they went out. Her mom might be a waitress/coffee shop manager, and her apartment might not be as nice as Riley's, but she was not a charity case.

"I'm not a charity case, you know." Maya said suddenly.

"What?"

"You, paying in there. You didn't have to." Maya said, pointing toward the store and shaking the bag with her comic books.

"It was no big deal. I have a loyalty card. And Jake liked you, he gave us a discount."

"He called it the 'So-you-brought-a-girl-into-the-store-discount'," Maya said, rolling her eyes. "That's not even real."

"Hey, we got 20% off. That's real to me."

"All I'm saying is… you don't have to pay for me all the time. You always do when we hang out. And you don't have to, it makes me feel like you think I can't buy my own stuff. And you never do it with, say, Farkle."

"Farkle is a dude."

"And his dad has millions, we know, but-"

"No, I mean, it's the way I was raised. My Mama would put me in the shed if she knew I let you pay."

Maya rolled her eyes again, "I'll have to talk to your Mama about this. Sometime."

"You can try." Lucas said. "But if it makes you feel better YOU can buy ME an ice cream."

"It will." Maya said with a grin.

"We just won't tell my Mama."

"Okay."

* * *

Hey guys! Sorry for the slow updates! Things got a bit complicated.

Thanks for reading and thanks to Sandy for all the help!


	13. Chapter 8 - Little Talks

**Hello!**

 **I hope you guys enjoy the chapter! Thanks so much for reading.**

 **And thanks to Sandy for helping me get un-stuck with some lines in this chapter. You rock, girl!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8 – Little Talks**

 _Set after Girl Meets Yearbook_

It had been 24 hours and Maya still didn't know what to do.

She had talked to Riley; she had sworn she hadn't discovered any secret about her while trying to be Riley Matthews. And then Farkle had declared he wasn't changing back to being the Farkle from before, and things were shaky for a bit.

Thankfully, Lucas had managed to sort things out with him again and they had had a nice afternoon hanging out at Topanga's and signing each other's yearbooks.

But then Maya had gone home with her mom, and the epiphany she had had earlier that day crept back into her thoughts.

It hadn't let her sleep.

And now it was another day and Maya wasn't sure what she was supposed to do with the secret she had learned. The only thing Maya was sure of was that she wanted to protect Riley's heart at all cost.

In the end, she had decided to let things run their course, let the chips fall where they may, and not intervene until she was asked to. But it was hard, and she was still racked with self-doubt.

But what do you do when you realize that your best friends' first crush is doomed?

Thank your stars said best friend had a dentist appointment that morning which gave you a little extra time to torture yourself; that's what.

"Hey, Maya!" Lucas's voice cut through her reverie as she reached her locker and saw him waiting there.

"Howdy," Maya answered.

Lucas smiled briefly before turning serious. "I was hoping we could talk."

"We _are_ talking, Ranger Rick." She said, turning toward her locker and spinning the combination.

Lucas sighed. He wasn't looking forward to this conversation but with the whole Donnie Barnes/Dark Riley thing behind them, Lucas knew there was one person he owed an apology to: Maya.

"What the-" Maya said when she opened her locker to find a bright red tulip on top of her books. "Did you put this in here?" She asked, taking the flower out.

Lucas nodded, "I'm really sorry about yesterday."

"Yesterday?" Maya asked, perplexed.

"I shouldn't have said what I said about your family in front of everybody."

She swallowed, "Don't worry." Maya said, unable to prevent the little catch in her voice. "It's not a secret. I've known most of them since pre-school."

"Still, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it the way it came out."

"I know that, Lucas. You would never say anything to hurt me intentionally. I don't know what bad, bad things you did back in Texas, but you're not that kind of jerk."

Lucas sighed, a little relieved. Then he added, "I also wanted to say that they guys in there were wrong." He pointed toward their classroom. "You should never try to be a Riley because we do need a Maya. You."

Maya grinned up at him. "Thank you for saying that."

"It's the truth." Lucas said. "You are boldest out of any of us."

"Really?"

"Yeah! You were the first person who talked to me in this city, you know? You just walked up to me and dated me and broke up with me in the same sentence. And that's how I got to know you and Riley and Farkle. We both know Riley never would have talked to me if she had been alone in that train."

"Sad but true," Maya admitted.

"So, see? We need your moxie."

"Moxie." Maya said with one of her goofy smiles. "I like that."

"Also, I finally figured out what to write in your yearbook." Lucas said, pulling said yearbook out of his messenger bag.

Maya took it and opened it, looking for Lucas' handwriting.

' _Dear Maya, you are confident, talented and loyal. I'm glad to be your friend. Thank you for sharing pancakes, comics and chili with me – Lucas. P.s. Yes.'_

"Yes? Yes to what?"

"What you wrote in my yearbook."

Maya grinned, remembering what she had rambled on for about half a page –calling him almost all of her nicknames for him - before writing 'May you always be my moral compass.'

"I was hoping you would say that." Maya said, happy because he had caught the most important part of what she had meant to say.

Lucas grinned, then looked over her head. "Here comes Farkle."

Maya turned, to see what incarnation of Farkle they would get today, and she was glad to see it was mostly the usual Farkle with one of his science-y t-shirts sans turtleneck under it. No beanie today, thankfully.

Which was good because beanies reminded her of Josh- and who had time to think about failed crushes right now?

"You know, if you guys want to stop being named Most Favorite Couple, you might want to try standing a little farther apart." Farkle said, stopping next to them.

"Or you, esteemed yearbook editor, might try reviewing the master file before sending it to print."

Farkle shrugged. "Touché." The he walked into the classroom.

"So, shall we?" Lucas said, pointing towards the door.

"We shall." Maya said, walking in front of him. "I just have one question?"

"Yeah?"

"How did you open my locker?"

"I told you I used to do some bad, bad things at my old school." Lucas said with a laugh.

"Criminal Huckleberry," Maya nodded, "I dig it."


	14. Chapter 9 - No Reason Why

**Hello my darlings! Thank you so much for your kind comments and reviews! Thanks to Sandy for getting me majorly un-stuck with this chapter.**

 **I'm sorry the updates are coming along a little slow I'm starting a new job, and I also have to wait for the episodes to air before I write the chapters around them. I hope I can write a little bonus chapter soon, though. I got ideas!**

 **Anyways, onto the chapter.**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter 9: No Reason Why**

 **(Set around Semi-Formal)**

Lucas knew he should have asked sooner, but he had simply assumed Riley and him would go together to the Semi Formal, since they had their 'unofficial' thing going on. As the date drew closer, though, Riley began to drop bigger and bigger hints about being asked.

But he had dragged his feet, put it off and he couldn't **quite** figure out why. It wasn't that he didn't want to go to the dance (or go to the dance with her), but the closer it got, the more he wished the four of them would go together as friends.

Plus, he knew no one had asked Maya yet. And Farkle was already planning on going alone, so it just made more sense to him.

But then Charlie Gardner had asked Riley to the dance. Hell he had done the BIG ASK with flowers and balloons and Yogi on skates. It was the Big Gesture a girl like Riley dreamed of, the kind Lucas hadn't been planning.

And it wasn't like Lucas was above the Big Gesture-thing, but it got so tiring after a while. He sometimes felt like he was always auditioning for the part of "official-unofficial Riley's Boyfriend."

In the end, it was moot point since Riley couldn't go. But Lucas had to admit he was a bit relieved – way deep down where he wasn't ready to wonder why – and decided to just tag along with Farkle and, surprisingly, Charlie.

Charlie who was a really good guy once you got him talking, as he was more on the quiet side. The two of them were having fun watching Farkle dance – alone and with as many girls as he could get close enough to – when Maya and Riley showed up.

That had been awkward to say the least.

In the end, he and Charlie decided to let Riley figure things out on her own and just have fun. He had danced a little with Riley and a little with Maya, and with Maya and Farkle at the same time, which was an experience all on its own, while Riley danced with Charlie.

Things got a little less awkward as the night progressed, and in the end he was almost sure he had had a good time.

Even when Maya decided to jump on his back…

* * *

The whole week had been stressful.

Ever since the yearbooks had been handed out, Maya's life had been stressful because she didn't know what to tell Riley anymore. Riley was still so caught up in what Lucas represented, rather than in her actual feelings for him, and Maya didn't know how to make Riley see it.

In the end, she'd convinced Riley to go to the dance, and she wanted to believe Riley had started to figure things out. Plus, Riley seemed to genuinely like Charlie the more time they spent together, so that was good.

"My feet are killing me," Maya complained as she dug inside her locker for the flats she had left there earlier in the day, in preparation for the dance.

"You shouldn't have worn such high heels to begin with," Riley said as she, Lucas, Farkle and Charlie waited for her.

The five of them were going to the Round The Clock Dinner for a Post-Semi-Formal snack before heading home. Because the awkward just wouldn't stop.

"Well, when you are a short, little stack of pancakes you don't have many options, do you Maya?" Lucas called out.

"Shut up, Sundance." Maya muttered as they all began walking toward the exit. "Hey!" she exclaimed as a thought came to mind and passed her heels to Riley with a: "Hold these, Riles!"

"Maya, what are you-" Riley cut herself off as she watched Maya take a running leap onto Lucas's back.

Lucas stumbled a little before reaching back to steady Maya, who was now clinging to him like a monkey. "What the...? This again?"

"Yup, this again." Maya said, arranging her skirt so it covered most of her legs. "I'm tired and it's your fault."

"How is it my fault?"

"Everything's your fault, Huckleberry." Maya said, leaning her head on his shoulder. "It makes my life easier."

Lucas laughed. "Okay, so how long do I have to carry you this time?"

"Forever. I'm not walking again."

"Good thing you are one small pancake."

"Shut up."

"You look very nice tonight, I don't think I told you when I first saw you."

"Aw, thanks Huckleberry. You clean up nice too." Maya said. "Though I kind of miss the hat."

"Want me to wear it on Monday?"

"Really?"

"Why not?"

Maya giggled. "Will you throw in the boots too?"

"Don't push it."

"But I thought you appreciated a nice, pointy boot in Texas."

"Shut up or I'll drop you."

"Nah, you won't. You're strong as a horse. Don't even work at it, just are." Maya mumbled.

"When did I say that?" Lucas asked, because it sounded like him.

"To Shack. Beginning of the year." She slurred.

"Are you asleep?" Lucas asked. "Is she asleep?" he added to Farkle, who was walking next to them. Riley and Charlie were up front.

"Looks like. I don't know how she does it," Farkle said. "Want me to wake her up?"

"It's fine. She wiggles less this way." Lucas shrugged.

"Did you enjoy the dance?"

"I'm not sure." Lucas said surprised by the statement.

"How come?"

"It wasn't what I expected." He admitted, "Maybe we should all just go as friends for the Christmas dance."

"Why? Afraid of a little competition?" Farkle asked, pointing ahead to where Riley and Charlie waited for them.

"Ranger Rick is afraid he won't get a date." Maya sing-songed.

"Weren't you asleep?"

"It comes and goes." Maya shrugged. "But don't worry, Huckleberry. Farkle and I will go with you if you want. Won't we Farkle?"

"I guess," Farkle answered before adding in a whisper to himself: "If nothing happens by Christmas."

* * *

Up ahead, Charlie looked back at Lucas and Maya.

"So, that happens often?" Charlie asked, pointing to Maya riding on Lucas' back.

"More often than you would think."

"Why?"

"Probably because Lucas lets her," Riley laughed. "We still don't know why he lets her."

"I think I know." Charlie said in a low voice that Riley didn't hear.

"Come on, guys! They are going to close the dinner!"

"It's called the "Round The Clock Dinner", Riley. I think we are fine." Farkle said.

"Do you want help with that?" Charlie asked Lucas, pointing toward Maya.

Lucas tensed, "It's fine."

"Strong as a horse. Doesn't even try!" Maya said in her the 'Best Gal Sally' accent she had been using for days, making everyone laugh.


	15. Bonus 6: Say Geronimo!

**Bonus 6: Say Geronimo!**

 _(Set around Christmas 2015)_

"Why are we doing this again?" Maya asked one afternoon after school, about two weeks before Christmas.

"Because I just bought you an industrial vat of hot chocolate and you promised to help me." Lucas answered.

"But I hate Christmas shopping. And if I hear another carol I'm going to murder someone." She said, as they walked into a store.

"We are almost done. I already got gifts for all my family, and I got Farkle and Zay Broadway tickets. But I don't know what to get Riley and you are the expert on all things Riley."

"Did you ask Riley help with my gift?" Maya couldn't help asking.

"Gifts. Plural. And nope." Lucas said proudly. "I have it all covered it."

"Oh, really?"

He nodded, "In fact, you can have one right now."

Lucas opened his messenger bag and extracted a CD for Maya.

She took it, a little bewildered. "This?"

He shrugged. "It's our song. First song we ever danced together."

"I thought you said you weren't dancing with me."

"I lied."

Maya laughed. "All right, Huckleberry, I think I saw some cutesy scarves over there." She pointed toward a display rack. "Riley loves those."

"Great. This will be even faster than I thought."

Fifteen minutes later, they were walking outside. The afternoon had turned colder and it was beginning to snow. The Street got busier as they neared the subway station, so Lucas grabbed Maya's hand to keep her close.

Shivering, Maya let go of his hand and took his arm instead. "How come you're always so warm?"

"I don't know. Maybe because I'm bigger?"

"You are a good wind-blocker too."

Lucas smiled. "Want to come over? My mama is still testing Christmas cookie recipes. And she was going to try to make apple cider."

"Sign me up." She grinned up at him.

"Come on, then." He said, reaching down to brush the snow that had already caught in her hair.

And if his hand lingered a little too long… well, Maya didn't complain.


	16. Chapter 10 - Little Talks in the Art

**Hello everyone!**

 **Want to start by thanking the Awesome Sandy who helps me with the edits. Trust me, these wouldn't be as good without her help.**

 **Also, thank you everyone for reading the story. I'm sorry for the slowish updates, it really has to do with how many episodes are released every month. BUT I have a little announcement in that regard:**

 **Since OCTOBER is said to be a GAME CHANGING month for the show, I've decided to split from the timeline of it after the September Episodes. I have a very clear endgame with this series and I don't want the timeline of the show to get on the way. That should mean faster updates :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Little Talks… in the Art Room**

 _set after Girl Meets Creativity_

Victory was sweet.

And it was the first time Maya had ever felt like she had some control over her life. She had stood up for the arts and - with the help of her friends - they had won. The Board of Education had agreed to keep the art classes. Though some of the programs would see cuts, none of them would disappear completely.

This called for celebration, so Mrs. Matthews had invited everyone over to Topanga's to do just that.

Maya felt proud of herself and of all her friends. Heck, she had even agreed to run lines with Farkle for his next Drama Club audition as a way of saying thanks.

But there was something that still weighed on her mind; now that the Arts were saved, she finally let herself think about it.

...

And she had plenty of time to do that the following morning, when she arrived early to school to help Ms. Kossal put the Art Room back to rights.

"Thank you for doing this, Maya." Ms. Kossal said, setting a box of acrylic paints in front of Maya so she could sort them out.

"I'm happy to do it. And I'll try to find a good hiding spot for the purple paint."

"Thank you. Now, I'm going to see what other supplies have arrived. Will you be all right here?"

"Sure."

Maya worked in silence for a while, humming to herself, busily arranging the paints just so in the cupboard.

"That's a catchy tune." Lucas said, startling Maya.

"Huckleberry! You scared me."

"Sorry."

"I'm going to tie a bell around your neck! You're always sneaking up on me."

"I wasn't sneaking. I even knocked the door."

"What are you doing here?"

"Thought I'd come early to help."

Maya nodded, going to where the other box of paints was in the back office and trying to carry them to the cupboard to sort them.

"Let me do that." Lucas said, picking up the box with ease and settling them back down where Maya had been before.

"You can start putting the tables and easels back in place."

Lucas nodded and began to do that. They really didn't have much time before first bell.

"Lucas," Maya said after a while.

"Yeah?"

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you."

He paused but just answered: "Shoot."

"Did you really call me that? The Blonde Beauty?"

"I did." He admitted without looking at her. "It sort of stuck… I didn't even catch your name that first time you talked to me on the subway, and then I thought you didn't like me so it felt weird to use it, you know?"

"I've always liked you. It was just our game, and it's on… and all that."

"Hah-"

"Hurr! Yeah. Did you really think I didn't like you?" Maya turned to him.

"Kind of." He said, walking back to her.

"Of course I liked you!" Why do you think I kept pushing you to Riley? I wouldn't have done that if I didn't think highly of you."

"You have a funny way of showing it."

"I wouldn't tease you if you weren't worth my time. It doesn't just happen, you know? I have to plan a lot of this stuff."

"So you lie awake at night thinking about me?"

"Yeah." Maya said matter of factly, before quickly adding: "About ways of torturing you, of course."

"Of course."

"Did you just smirk at me, Huckleberry?"

"No. I would never."

"A wink! That was definitely a wink!" Maya said and shoved Lucas.

He laughed, "Settle down, Short Stack." Lucas reached to stop her hands before she could do it again. "So… where are we going to hide all the purple?"

"Somewhere Riley won't easily find it."

"Want me to put them all in the high shelves?"

"That only works with short, little stacks of pancakes like me, Ranger Rick."

* * *

"So, how was your morning with the blonde beauty?" Zay asked Lucas later in the day, when they walked to the cafeteria.

"Did you really have to tell her I said that?"

"But you did."

"But Maya didn't need to know that!"

"Excuse me, Mr. Friar, but it's not my fault you're always talking about her."

"I'm not."

"You do! Ask Dylan and Asher if you don't believe me."

"Why do you keep pushing this?"

Zay shrugged, "Because I know you." He said cryptically.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"In time, the truth shall be self evident."

"That's even worse."

"What's even worse?" Farkle asked when they joined him in the cafeteria line.

"How some people keep making a big deal out of things." Lucas answered.

"And how some people refuse to see what's in front of them."

Farkle looked at them, "Are we talking about how Lucas called Maya beautiful even though he has an unofficial-thing with Riley?"

"I didn't call her beautiful."

"Are you saying she's not?" Farkle asked.

"Yeah... what are you saying exactly?" Zay joined.

"Farkle! Don't you think she is?"

Farkle nodded, "I think both of them are. I love them both." He said nonchalantly. "But this isn't about what I think. It's about what you think."

"I knew I liked you, Farkle." Zay said, throwing an arm around Farkle and walking away with him.

Leaving Lucas confused, bewildered and even a little pissed off.

Suddenly, Lucas felt someone poking his back.

"Move," Maya said.

"What?" He asked anxiously, hoping she hadn't heard any of what Zay and Farkle had said.

"Come on, Sundance, move! You're too big to be ornamental."

"Sorry," He said, moving aside and letting Maya go first in the line.

"You're so weird sometimes." Maya said, starting to slide her tray down the line and then going back to drag him by the sleeve when he continued to stand still. "Chicken pot pie or Sloppy Joe?"

"Sloppy Joe."

"Two sloppy Joes, Geraldine." Maya said, turning to chat up Geraldine, who held up the line just to tell Maya to remember to eat more veggies and to slide her the biggest slice of devil's food cake.

"How come you get the last slice of cake?" Lucas asked as they walked to the table where the rest of the gang was waiting.

"Because I'm adorable." Maya said, skipping ahead.

But she still let Lucas have a little cake anyway, but only because he had helped with the art room.


	17. Bonus 7: It's never just hair

**Hey guys! I Want to thank you all for the patience! I really do slow down a lot when we don't have new episodes coming.**

 **Thanks to Sandy, always, for helping me with the e** **diting of the chapters. Really, they turn out so much better after she checks them out.**

 **And: Hi, Cinder! Thanks for the lovely review ;)**

* * *

 **Bonus 7: It never is Just Hair**

 _(Set sometime toward the end of eighth grade)_

Lucas couldn't help feeling a little sweaty palmed when Ms. Kossal asked to see him after class. It was just a leftover reflex from his days as a troublemaker as he was pretty sure he hadn't done anything wrong lately.

"Ms. Kossal?" He knocked on the door, surreptitiously checking to see if Maya wasn't hanging around. Today wasn't her studio time, but Lucas had already noticed she liked being in the Art Room, even when she didn't have to.

"Oh, Mr. Friar. There you are."

"You wanted to see me?

"I want to discuss your latest assignment."

"The hair drawing? Is there something wrong? I thought we could do it from any angle and…"

"There is nothing wrong with the drawing," Ms. Kossal said, settling it on the table between them. "It's competent. All your drawings are, but this one is a little different."

"Different?"

"Your other drawings, they tell me what's in front of you, but not what you see. This does. It lets me see a bit of your soul."

"It's just the back of Maya's head." Lucas defended himself. "The assignment was hair, and she sits in front of me in all of our classes, and she's always getting her hair all over my notebooks, but I've grown used to it and -"

"Lucas, you are a full head taller than Maya, you could look right over her head if you wanted to. But that's neither here nor there, I called you because I want it in the end of the year exhibit."

"But-"

"Every student is showing something." Ms. Kossal went on. "And I think this is the best work you've done so far."

Lucas looked at the drawing. It was true; it was better than his usual stuff. He had worked a whole week on it. He hadn't known what it was going to be when he started but once it became obvious, Lucas was thankful for the fact he had a whole table to himself since both Farkle and Zay had told him he took too much space.

Lucas had made sure he was the last to turn in the assignment, so no one would see it or see it was from him. He couldn't take Zay making more Blonde Beauty comments in front of everybody.

At the same time, he was kind of proud of the drawing. It wasn't as good as Maya's stuff, but he rather felt it had managed to capture her somehow.

"So? What do you say?" Miss Kossal asked.

Lucas sighed. "Okay, fine. But can we hide it behind one of Riley's purple cats?"

* * *

The day of the exhibit, Lucas tried to act like nothing was wrong. His drawing was in the back of the room; no one needed to know it was his. Like Ms. Kossal had said, everyone was showing something and when people asked him about his stuff, he said it was back there somewhere.

He had almost made it through the day when he was cornered by Zay and Farkle.

"So," Zay asked. "When are we going to see your masterpiece?"

"It's back there somewhere. It's really bad, you guys don't want to see it."

"While I'm glad there is a thing you are not good at, I still want to see," Farkle announced.

"There are lots of things I'm not good at." Lucas laughed nervously.

"Pipe down, Mr. Perfect," Zay commanded. "Show us."

"Okay, just don't read too much into it." He pleaded and guided them to his drawing.

They were quiet for about 10 seconds before Zay broke the silence. "That's Maya."

"Yeah, but it's not a big deal… it's just that-"

"You sit behind her-" Farkle cut in.

"Look at her head all the time." Zay agreed.

"Makes perfect sense."

"Ok, good, you guys get it." He said, relieved.

"Oh, we get all sorts of things," Zay drawled

"We just aren't sure you do." Farkle finished and walked away.


	18. Chapter 11 - Milkshake Science

**Hey guys! Sorry for the delay on this one! I kind of wrote a One Shot called The Language of Looks and Smiles before I worked on this and then I couldn't hit the right angle with this chapter at first. But I'm quite happy with where it went in the end.**

 **Sorry its a bit short, though.**

 **Thanks as always to Sandy, who always saves me from my own writing. You are awesome, Sandy!**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter 11: Milkshake Science**

 **(Set after Girl Meets I Am Farkle)**

Lucas standing in front of his open locker, completely distracted, was an opportunity Maya couldn't resist. She looked around to make sure none of their friends were nearby to alert him and slowly made her way towards him.

She stood just behind him, took a breath and let out a "Ha Hurr!" that made Lucas jump.

"Maya!" He said, a little annoyed.

"I got you good." She laughed.

Lucas sighed but smiled. "You did."

"What are you doing?" She asked, leaning against his locker.

"I think I forgot my history book. I was trying to see if I'd put it here earlier."

"But no luck?"

"Nope."

"Hey, you got your letterman jacket back."

"Yeah, Smackle said she had no use for a jacket so big."

"That sounds like Smackle, all right."

"And she also said she doesn't want to give me false hope."

"Because you can't take a hint, Lucas." Maya said, shaking her head. "Hey, is that the...?" She pointed.

Lucas looked to what he had put on the door of his locker. "The five dollars I won from you. Yep. I told you I was going to frame it."

Maya rolled her eyes. "It's just five dollars."

"It's YOUR five dollars." He grinned.

"Why are you keeping it here?"

"Because if I take it home and my mom sees it she'll make me give it back?"

Maya laughed. "You know, under all that Mr. Perfect stuff, you are such a dork."

"I know." Lucas said, turning her around and starting to head back to the classroom. "You're the cool one."

"Heck yeah!"

"I'm so lucky you deign to be my friend."

"You know it."

"I should probably buy you a milkshake after school."

"You should."

"And help you with your science homework since apparently you can't tell the difference between a robot, a clone and a real boy."

"Hey! It's hard when the boy in question is Farkle."

"Sure is." Lucas agreed a little too quickly, earning him a glare from Maya.

... … …

That afternoon, Lucas picked Maya up at the Art Room after he finished his baseball practice and without thinking they wound up at the diner that was halfway between both of their apartments rather than at Topanga's.

They sat at their usual booth and ordered their shakes. Lucas would always get Oreo and Maya would always order strawberry, then declare Lucas' milkshake looked better so he would switch with her.

Then Lucas attempted to make sense of Maya's science notes – which prompted Maya to buy him cheesy fries because trying to make sense of her schoolwork wasn't an easy task for anybody.

In the end they wrote their papers on the characteristics of living things and Maya was pretty sure she had done okay. Lucas was good at explaining things to her. Farkle usually got lost in numbers and complicated explanations, and Riley almost always wound up doing most of the work herself rather than just helping her.

"Do you think Smackle will actually transfer to our school?" Maya asked as the left.

"I don't know. I think deep down she likes competing with Farkle too much, and she couldn't do that if they went to the same school."

"But if she went to Quincy, they could be a power couple."

"That's a little terrifying."

"Yeah, they would probably be ruling the world by the tenth grade."

"Probably."

"I wonder what it must be like to be that smart."

"You ARE smart, Maya."

"Not a genius."

"You're a great artist though. We all have our skills."

"Are you trying to give me a Riley pep talk?"

Lucas paused. "She does rub on you, doesn't she?"

"She does." Maya smiled and suddenly they were standing in the middle of the street without saying anything.

That was happening a lot lately. It was a strange feeling. Like comfort and unease rolled into one. Almost like butterflies in the stomach, which prompted Maya to stammer: "I- I should probably go see her now."

"Who?"

"Riley."

"Oh, right. Riley. I'll walk you there."

"We're halfway to your house; that doesn't make sense."

"To the subway station at least?" He asked, sounding a touch too hopeful.

"Sure."


	19. Bonus 8: Action and Reaction

Hey guys! Sorry for the delays. I got caught up grading papers and stuff like that. Also, this one is a bit on the short side. Sorry, but a full chapter will be up tomorrow - hopefully!

Enjoy! and thanks for the reviews. And to Sandy for keeping me sane. :)

* * *

Walk Me Home

 **Bonus 8: Action and Reaction**

 _ **Set After Girl Meets Cory and Topanga**_

When he first met Maya, Lucas would have never imagined that it would be his job to keep Maya in check. It was just not something he had ever planned but, much like their friendship, it just happened.

He wasn't sure what it was, but he could usually tell when she was about to jump on someone - probably because the person she jumped the most on was himself.

So when Farkle hit her with the paper ball in class, Lucas could see it coming a mile away and he was already blocking her path when she rose from her seat to try to get at Farkle.

But he was a little surprised that he let him turn her around and make her sit down again. Usually, Maya struggled a bit more - not that it did her any good, she was a whole foot shorter than him and, as they had previously established, he was strong as a horse.

Stranger still was that when Maya turned around to yell at him, she had nothing to say.

That was a first, Lucas had only seen her lose her train of thought like that once before: when she was pretending to be Riley and was babbling on and on about sunshiny people the way Riley sometimes did.

Instead, Lucas just smiled at her prompting her to turn around quickly while shaking her head.

Much, much later, Lucas would come to realize something had happened that day, but at the moment that was so far in advance that he got lost in the week's assignment of trying to turn Farkle into an athlete - with mixed result.

Over the next few months, though, that scene would play out itself in his mind at the oddest times, telling him it was an important moment of his life, even if he didn't know why.


	20. Chapter 12 - Two Parts Make a Whole

A/N: This chapter takes place over the course of two days from different perspectives. The First part is Lucas' the second part is Maya's.

Just to clarify.

Thanks to Sandy for all the awesome, and thanks for reading.

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter Twelve: Two Parts Make A Whole**

 _ **Set around and after Girl Meets Rileytown**_

It didn't take a genius to figure out something was off between Riley and Maya the second they walked into school on Monday. They were talking, but there was a bit of tension between them - which Lucas hadn't seen since he had called Maya a short, little stack of pancakes - and Maya seemed sad.

That was rare. Maya didn't look sad very often these days, but there was this look she got in her eye whenever she was hurt, a tension in her posture that usually wasn't there. You had to look very closely to see it. But Lucas saw it, clear as day.

Class started with Mr. Matthews talking about conflict resolution, which Lucas wasn't sure what it had to do with anything, but by the end of the week they would probably have figure it out.

Or maybe sooner than that when Riley stood up and challenged Maya to a duel. And Maya accepted

He went along with it, mostly because he thought Riley hadn't meant it and because he always went along with their crazy, little schemes. And also because he and Zay were the ones with actual experience in this whole dueling business.

Zay was a master at it, actually… though Lucas didn't remember his fights back in Texas involving ice cream. The basic rules of how you fought honorably were pretty much the same, and Zay knew the protocol.

"Seconds!" Zay called out.

"That means us." Lucas told Farkle and they went to the side to confer with each other.

"Who will be Ms. Hart's second?" Zay asked.

"Lucas." Farkle said at once.

"Why?"

"Because she listens to you," Farkle said.

"She does not."

"She does… also, you are bigger and she scares me a little bit. Love her to death though."

"So, Farkle will be Riley's second." Zay nodded. "Take your places."

When Riley decided to plant her ice cream cone in Maya's face, everyone was surprised, but more surprising was Maya's reaction.

"I don't need to be contained, Lucas." She said calmly, whipping her face and then floor. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine." He said, and she didn't.

"That's not Riley at all." Maya said.

Lucas had to agree. It was out of character for Riley to turn on Maya; clearly something was bothering Riley. And whatever it was, it was crushing Maya too. And he would not stand for that.

* * *

Once things came out, Maya's worries multiplied.

On one hand, there was Riley and how much she was suffering because of this bully. It was different than when Billy had bullied Farkle. That had been more tangible somehow. It was something that could be left at school; but this bully - whoever she was - wouldn't leave Riley alone, and Maya cringed each time Riley's phone announced the arrival of a new message.

On the other hand, Maya was pretty sure Lucas was going to lose it when he found out. Sure, he had changed a lot since coming to New York, but he still had a temper and nothing triggered it like someone trying to harm one of his friends.

It had gotten him into trouble plenty before, and Maya didn't want to see that happen. There wasn't anything wrong with his occasional shows of anger-it wasn't like he would ever harm any of them-but the last thing they needed right now was a fight. And if Lucas went off, there was nothing that would keep Maya from helping him find Riley's bully and jack her up.

Thankfully, by the time the boys showed up (Farkle and Lucas insisted that Riley should rely on them as they did on her) Riley was ready to ask for help and tell them what had been going on.

00000

Few times had Maya been prouder of Riley than when she confronted her bully. Maya knew how hard it was for Riley to face her fears, let alone do it in front of the whole school, but she had. And she was better off because of it.

Lucas still looked a bit ready to kill, though. Which prompted Maya to take action. She cornered Lucas after school.

"I need your help." Maya said in a rush. "I'm ice-creaming Riley after school, but I called Topanga's and they haven't gotten the new ice cream delivery yet, so we need to get it before we meet everyone there."

"And I have to help you because…?"

"Because ice cream is heavy. Come on, I told everyone we're picking up the ice cream."

Twenty minutes later, they were still walking around the village, trying to find a particular ice cream store Maya wanted to find for some reason.

"I have two questions." Lucas asked after she made him walk the same street for the third time.

"Yeah?"

"First, don't you think Riley will suspect something since we are having ice-cream and last time she threw a cone at you?"

"Riley? Nope."

"Okay."

"Second?"

"Why are you making me walk all over the neighborhood? We passed three ice cream shops already."

"I figured you would need some cooling off after what happened." Maya shrugged.

"I'm fine, Maya. I didn't beat up anyone. That's a win for me."

"Clearing one's head never hurt anybody, though." Maya said, and earned a skeptical look from Lucas, which made her add. "Maybe I'm the one who needs to clear her head. It's not all about you."

"So this isn't a ploy to get me to cool off."

"It is. See, I understand you, Lucas. I've been taking care of them, Farkle and Riley, since we met in first grade. I don't know who I am if I don't keep them safe. And it's very hard for me to let them figure their own stuff out."

"That's me and Zay. They really are like baby bunnies, aren't they?"

"I think they might be a little stronger than that but yeah."

They walked in silence for a while before Lucas said, "I'll help you keep them safe."

"I know you will." Maya looked up at him and smiled.

"And you know what else? I'm going to protect you too, Maya Hart."

Lucas half expected her to tell him she didn't need protection, so he was surprised when her smile just grew and she declared: "And I'll protect you, Lucas Friar."

"I know you will."

Some past version of Lucas might have laughed at the idea of this girl - who was a whole foot shorter than him, who used him for piggy-back rides when she was tired - protecting him, but the Lucas of now knew what a great thing it was to have someone as fierce as Maya in his corner.

"So we have a deal?" Maya said, extending her hand so they could shake on it.

"Deal." Lucas took her hand, held it in his for a moment or two too long.

"Come on, there is a mini-mart around the corner." As Maya began to walk their hands changed hold, and Lucas fell into step next to her without letting go.


	21. Chapter 13 - The Day Before Halloween

**Hello everyone! I hope you enjoy this little chapter.**

 **Thanks to Sandy-belle for all her patience in helping me edit the chapter :D And to you guys for reading.**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter 13 - The Day Before Halloween**

 _ **Set The day before House of Terror 2 (or the day before Halloween 2015)**_

"Do you know what theme they settled on?" Lucas asked Maya as they walked to the costume rental place after school on the day before Halloween.

Due to the fact that Maya had been working after school on a piece Ms. Kossal wanted her to submit to a city-wide competition, and that Lucas had had extra basketball practice all week, they hadn't gone with Farkle and Riley when they selected the costumes.

"No. Riley wouldn't tell me." Maya answered as Lucas held the door of the store open for her. "I hope it's nothing too elaborate like last year's steampunk."

"Hey, I liked steampunk."

"I liked it too, but it wasn't the most comfortable of looks. And Riley's cage-skirt thing kept getting caught everywhere."

"I remember we had to pull her from the subway's doors." Lucas laughed as they approached the counter.

"May I help you?" a middle-aged man with a nametag that read "Larry" asked.

"Our friends put two costumes on hold for us. Friar and Hart."

Wordlessly, Larry went to the backroom and passed them two bags. "You can try them on first if you like. Changing rooms that way." He pointed to back of the store.

"We might as well," Maya said, grabbing her bag and going to the changing room marked with a pink door and Lucas followed her to the next stall over, marked with a blue door.

After a few minutes Lucas called out "Maya... what are we supposed to be again?" as he came out.

"I don't know. This is just a sparkly dress." She said, coming out as well.

Lucas stared at her for a moment. "What, does it look bad?" Maya asked, turning to look at herself in the mirror and sending the sequined skirt flying.

"N-No, it's a good color for you. But I don't get the theme yet."

"Well there's a wig and some other stuff in the bag, but I didn't want to bother."

"I have a hat." Lucas said, putting it on. It matched the white three-piece suit he was wearing. "How does it look?"

"Dapper." Maya said with a smile. He looked like one of those guys in the movies her grandma liked, like the Great Gatsby (original version with Robert Redford). "Except for the mess you made with the tie."

"I don't have much experience with them." Lucas said, turning to the mirror to try to fix it.

"You're making it worse. Come on." Maya said, turning him to face her. "I think a simple Four in Hand knot will work."

Lucas stood still while Maya began tugging at the knot he had made, undoing it. "Where'd you learn to tie ties?" He asked.

"Mmm, after my dad left we moved in with my grandparents. My grandfather used to wear one every day, and every morning I would rush to his room and sit on his dresser while he did them. He'd tell me about the knots and tell me stories about what they were called. Stuff like that."

"That's sweet."

"It was. After a while, he began to let me tie them. Before he died, he told my grandmother that he wanted them to bury him with his second best tie, so I could have his favorite. It's blue; he always wore it on my birthday because he said it matched my eyes." Maya explained sadly; she took a deep breath and finished the knot. "Sorry, didn't mean to get morbid." She added, looking up at him to find him looking down at her.

"I don't think it was morbid at all." He said gravely. "It's nice you have such good memories of him."

Maya just smiled, patted the tie into place and said. "All done."

Lucas smiled and looked at the mirror to see the neatest knot he'd ever seen. "You know I'm never going to be able to do this, right?"

Maya rolled her eyes. "I'll make another knot that you only have to slide up, like a silly half-Windsor or something. Maybe an Oriental knot. Anyone can tie an Oriental." She said, tugging at the necktie and undoing her handy work.

"Not me, believe me. I'm better with actual knots, boy scout style." He said, holding still for her again.

"Well, you wouldn't be a good Ranger Rick if you weren't." She finished and turned him to face the mirror again "How about that?"

Maya was smiling in the mirror, waiting for his reaction. Lucas held her gaze for a moment before declaring "Perfect."


	22. Bonus 9: Life and Let Die!

**Hey girls! Thank you for all your patience! I hope I can update more often from now on as we are diverging from the episodes from this point on!**

 **Thanks to Sandy for all the edits! :)**

 **And I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Bonus 9: Live and Let Die**

 _ **(Set Around Girl Meets Rah Rah)**_

Watching Riley try out for cheerleading was not fun but Farkle and Zay were right: Maya had to be there for her and, in the end, it had all worked itself out.

After Riley had been officially accepted to the cheerleading squad, and "the girls!" had asked her to go with them for celebratory pinkberry; Maya, Zay, Farkle and Lucas decided to have a little celebration of their own.

After all, their friend had not died and she had actually gotten what she had wanted since third grade.

"We officially call this meeting of the Riley Committee to order." Farkle announced, handing everyone their drinks as they sat at Topanga's.

"The Riley Committee?" Zay asked.

"We exist to protect Riley. You are a member now." Farkle answered.

"You guys have a very lax application process." Zay commented.

"Yeah, well, it was mostly Farkle and me until last year." Maya said. "We were desperate for help."

"Hey, I help." Lucas protested.

"Sure you do," Maya agreed too quickly.

"In any case, we did a good job. Huzzah!" Farkle said and was echoed by the rest of the committee.

"I can't believe the year she doesn't make me try out with her is the year she makes it." Maya said before taking a swig of her drink.

"She made you try out?" Zay asked.

"Every year since pee wees." Maya said. "I have a whole collection of cheerleading uniforms, Riley would always run out whenever they announced she hadn't made it; and I never stuck around to return them. "

"They were adorable." Farkle said. "I got photos of all of them,"

"You what?" Maya demanded.

"Nothing." Farkle said and looked away.

"So… cheerleading is not your calling?" Lucas asked next.

"Me? Nope. I got no spirit whatsoever."

"That's not true! I've seen you cheer for Lucas at his games." Farkle said.

Maya shrugged nonchalantly "Screaming 'Don't embarrass yourself, Huckleberry!' hardly qualifies as cheering."

"I knew that was you."

Maya shrugged. "Someone has to tell you these things, Ranger Rick. Keep it real. It just happens that it's my lot in life to do so."

"You were just being noble, I know." Lucas said, grinning at her the whole time while they stared at each other.

"I wonder what they think when they pause like that," Zay asked Farkle in a loud stage whisper, causing Maya and Lucas to snap out of their little trance.

"I guess we'll never find out, Zay"

"I'm not so sure about that, Farkle."

"So," Maya said loudly, "Who wants some pastries?"

"That usually means you do." Lucas stood up. "I'll get some."

Maya grinned up at him as he walked away, and it took her a second to remember they weren't alone, but when she did she turned her grin on Farkle and Zay.

"Got him wrapped around your little finger, haven't you?" Zay commented.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Maya said, taking a sip of her smoothie.

"Sure, sure." Zay agreed, sharing A Look at Farkle.

"Stop it!"

"I'm not doing anything,"

* * *

A/N: Hey guys! Just one last reminder that we are splitting from the show's narrative from now on, next chapter will be about Thanksgiving!


	23. Chapter 14 - Thanks to Give

**Hey guys! I hope you enjoy the chapter! Thanks to Sandy for all the help. Thanks everyone for reading.**

 _To Anonymous: I love Ultra maniac too! It's one of my most favorite anime and mangas either, and I just love Wataru Yoshizumi._

 _To Guest who asked about writing a chapter about Texas: well that's really not happening, because I'm braking from the narrative of the show, but I did write a angsty fic while I was trying to deal with the FEELS post Texas weekend, I'm not sure I will post it though. It is really OOC for me._

 _To Guest who asked about a chapter with Lucas at Maya's window: He has gone there before, he might go again... or Maya will go to his window, I don't know ;) (I do)._

 _To Purpleprincess1147 - Zay knows things :)_

 _And to everyone else, thanks for reading and for all the sweet comments. You make my days._

 **Also please, remember than from now own we are breaking from the narrative of the show!**

 **I do plan to keep writing stuff about the actual episodes, though they'll probably be in the same of the It Must Have Happened stories that I've done before, like Fish Killer**

 **Without, further ado, here is the chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 14: Thanks to Give**

 _(Set on Thanksgiving Day, 2015)_

It was crazy at the Matthews' house in Philly, but it was a good sort of crazy. Maya had never really spent holidays with Riley's family at large until last year's Christmas but this time around it was even more crowded – which was the whole reason why Topanga had agreed to head off to Philadelphia in the first place.

And they had invited the Hart women to come along, so Maya and Katy had packed up Grammy Hart and drove off to join the gathering. Shawn was coming over; Eric too. Even Riley's aunt Morgan that Maya had only met once or twice.

Of course, Josh was there as well. But Maya was determined to act like the mature young lady she was becoming, dammit!

"Hey, ferret!" Josh had said when they arrived that morning.

"Uncle Boing." Maya grinned back.

"I really wish you didn't call me that."

"I didn't ask to be called a ferret, either." She said primly and moved past him.

"What? That's it?"

"I really don't have much to say to you, Josh." Maya said, her head tilting as this realization that this was the truth hit her. "We both know that I've embarrassed myself enough around you."

"Well, now… it wasn't all bad." He smiled again. Gosh, he really did have a nice smile, and he knew it.

Maya knew it too, and she also knew he meant nothing by it, so she just smiled back. "I promised to bake a pie."

"You can bake?"

"I can do all sorts of things… that now you'll never find out." She tossed over her shoulder as she advanced toward the kitchen.

"I find that intriguing." Josh said, almost to himself. Maya just kept walking.

Then she was being hugged by Riley's grandparents and then she, Katy and all of Riley's women folk were working together, putting the final touches on the meal.

-000-

Maya loved the Matthews, all of them, but she had to admit that she found them a little overwhelming. So, after making the pies and helping for a bit, she decided to slip out for a moment and wound up sitting in the backyard where it was a little quieter.

"How are you, Baby Girl?" Katy asked when she joined Maya outside.

"Good," Maya answered with a smile. "But…"

"Overwhelmed?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it's not our usual TV dinners and leftovers from the diner."

"They weren't so bad. And we had our own traditions, Mom. This is nice though. Like I can see why Riley's parents are who they are, growing up here and all."

"Seems like something out of a TV show, right?"

"Just a little bit."

"Your pie looks right out of a TV show, too." Katy said.

"It's Lucas' grandmother's recipe, I just followed it." Maya shrugged, as her phone began to vibrate and she pulled it out to see Lucas' grinning face fill the screen. "Speak of the devil."

"That's my cue to get back inside. Don't take long, dinner's almost ready."

"Okay, Mom." Maya agreed as she swiped the phone to answer it. "Huckleberry!"

"Riley just posted a picture of a suspiciously familiar looking pie on her instagram." Lucas said without preamble.

"And happy thanksgiving to you too."

"You made my favorite pie when I'm not there!" He complained.

"It's your grandmother's recipe. I'm sure she'll make it for you if you ask. She probably already made one."

"Well, yeah, but that's beside the point."

Maya rolled her eyes, though he couldn't see her and then asked: "How's Austin?"

"Good. I'm seeing cousins I forgot I had, and the weather's been nice so we've been playing football in my grandma's backyard all day."

"How Texan of you."

"Well, it's the only thing we love more than BBQ,"

Maya laughed and they kept talking for several minutes until Riley opened the kitchen door and called out "Maya! Dinner is ready!"

"I'm coming," Maya called back before adding, "Gotta go, Ranger Rick." into the phone.

"Yeah, me too. Say hi to everyone for me."

"I will."

"Text later?"

"Sure."

"Okay."

000

"Whom were you talking to?" Riley asked as they sat next to each other in the dining room table her grandparents only used when the whole family came over.

"Lucas called."

"He did?"

"Yeah, he was telling me about Austin, and how he and Zay wanna go skating at the Rockefeller center rink when we all get back."

"Oh, that'll be fun." Riley said. "I don't think we've gone since we were, like, seven."

"I told him it's a touristy thing to do, but he wants to, so," Maya shrugged. "He said he'd look into it. Must be bored."

"I wonder where my green hat is-" Riley said suddenly.

"You're already planning your skating outfit, aren't you?"

Riley grinned her big, goofy smile. "Yours too."

"Just pass the mashed potatoes." Maya rolled her eyes.

* * *

.

The next weekend, Maya found herself at the Rockefeller center with Zay, Farkle, Riley and Lucas at the butt-crack of dawn… or 7 am, which was basically the same thing.

"Why so early, Huckleberry?" Maya complained as he knelt in front of her to check the laces in her skates.

"So we can have breakfast later," He said, giving the laces a last tug.

"I don't do early, for future reference."

"Duly noted." He said, sitting next to her and putting on his own skates.

"Have you skated before?"

"Once or twice when I was little. There are a few rinks around Austin. And I'm good at rollerblading."

"Oh." She said, a little disappointed. "I was looking forward to watching you fall down all over the place."

"Sorry, sports are my thing."

"Are we ready?" Riley asked, jumping up, even with her skates.

"We are." Everyone else answered a little less enthusiastic, at least until they got outside and the cold woke them up.

They were lucky, and since it was 7 am, there weren't that many people around. Riley went happily, knocking into everything and everyone until Zay and Farkle began to tow her around, making her squeal.

Maya stepped on the ice tentatively. She had good coordination, but she really hadn't done this in years and years.

"Scared?" Lucas asked behind her as he skated slowly, trying to get his bearings as well.

Maya stuck out her tongue before saying, "I'd forgotten what it felt like."

"Want to try to skate together?" Lucas asked, offering his hand.

She nodded, taking his hand. "Okay."

Lucas froze for a moment when their hands made contact, even though they were both wearing gloves. Then he shook himself and said: "Let's do this."

Before long, they were zooming around the rink, and a small war broke between them and Farkle, Riley and Zay, as they tried to knock each other down. They earned a few glares from other skaters.

Maya couldn't remember a time when she'd laughed more since the last time Riley messed up the morning announcements at school. It was very strange but lately she had been feeling it more. Maybe it had started with allowing herself to hope for things, but it was growing into happiness.

After their hour and a half of skating was over, they went up to the café in the center to have breakfast. Maya ate way too much, and they were all so loud and it was just plain wonderful.

"Did you have fun?" Lucas asked when they were heading home afterwards.

"Yeah… but it's more than that. I'm happy, Lucas." Maya said, stopping suddenly. "It's scary, but I'm happy."

Lucas smiled, like he understood; maybe he did. "I'm glad."

"It was a great day, wasn't it?"

"To quote Riley: 'today was the best day ever'."


	24. Chapter 15 - A Matching Set

**Hello everyone! I hope you are enjoying these chapters! I hope I can knock out the Valentine's day chapter over the weekend.**

 **Thanks to Sandy the Awesome for helping me edit, really you have no idea all the wonky grammar she saves you from.**

 **And Thanks so much for reading!**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter Fifteen: A Matching Set**

 _ **Set around Christmas and New Year 2015**_

Christmas came and went, bringing with it presents, food and Shawn Hunter who showed up on December 20th with a small, slightly pathetic Christmas tree, which he hauled up to Maya and Katy's apartment. Usually, the Hart women didn't bother with a tree but since it was there they went wild decorating every branch until it didn't look pathetic anymore.

And sure, the ancient twinkling lights Katy found in the back of the junk drawer were probably a fire-hazard, and the Christmas ornaments they dug up from storage had seen better days but it was their tree and Maya loved it.

Just as she loved all the Christmas gifts she got that year; though if she had to pick a favorite it would probably be the last minute gift Shawn gave them: a beautiful glass ornament in the shape of a candy cane (and the promise of a better tree for next year).

Which meant he planned to be around 12 months from now. And Maya and Katy believed him, which was, perhaps, the biggest gift of all.

* * *

But there was also another gift, a slightly more controversial gift, that Maya also found a lot of comfort in as winter moved to spring.

It was a blue and green sweater, handmade by Lucas' Grandma Ruth, which she had sent Maya after Thanksgiving. That wasn't the slightly controversial part; Grandma Ruth had knitted stuff for all of Lucas' friends – scarves for Zay and Farkle; a new hat for Riley – but there was something different about that sweater…Which she found out when Mrs. Friar asked everyone over to her house for a New Year's Eve party.

Maya thought the sweater went with her pretty black skirt, and the new cool boots her mom had gotten her, along with the bracelet Riley had given her. So she put it all together and she, her mom, Shawn and the Matthews went to the Friars'.

Not five minutes after they arrived, Maya was standing next to Lucas as Zay told the rest of them some Texas-Lucas story. Maya was trying to ignore Farkle tilting his head this way and that way, and looking at them up and down. And just before Maya could snap at him, Farkle spoke up.

"You know you two are wearing the exact same sweater, just with the colors inverted?"

"What? No, we're not." They said at the same time and then turned to look at each other.

But it was true.

"We look ridiculous," Maya said.

"It's kind of adorable, actually." Zay said. "It gives a really coup-" but before he could finish saying 'couple-ly vibe', Lucas elbowed him in the stomach.

"I can change if you want," Lucas offered.

"It's not a big deal; let's not make it one," Maya said sensibly.

* * *

But it turned out to be a bigger deal than Maya first thought, as Lucas' assorted relatives kept asking her if she was Lucas' girlfriend. One extremely obnoxious eight-year-old cousin of his asked her if they were going to kiss at midnight, and kept making kissy noises at her each time they crossed paths.

It was really awkward, especially because Riley was usually right there when it happened and Lucas was really Riley's crush.

Maya and Lucas were just friends, really. Even if his grandmother had knit them couple-sweaters for whatever reason.

In any case, to avoid making things awkward, Maya decided to sneak away, five minutes before midnight struck, and hide until the whole 'midnight kiss' thing was over – it was a stupid tradition anyway.

She went up to the roof garden of Lucas' building. She was freezing out there since she hadn't thought to grab her coat, but the view of the city took her breath away.

The whole city was lit up and the Hudson River was sparkling in the distance. It felt like the whole city was holding its breath, waiting for the clock to strike twelve.

"You're gonna freeze," Lucas said suddenly; she hadn't heard him come up.

"I guess I didn't think this through." She agreed, rubbing her hands together and jumping from one foot to the other as her breath condensed in front of her.

Lucas walked towards a group of chairs and returned with a fleece blanket. "Here." He said, opening it and throwing it over both their shoulders. "Sorry, there's only one."

"It's all right." Maya said, standing a little stiffly. Then she shivered and he put his arms around her. "You're warm."

She sighed happily, burrowing into him as she pulled the blanket closer.

Suddenly, a bright light crossed the sky, making a faint whistling sound before exploding high above them, illuminating the whole sky, quickly to be followed by more fireworks.

"Midnight." Lucas said succinctly.

"Yep." Maya said, a little tense until she felt Lucas kiss the top of her head.

"Happy New Year, Maya."

"Happy New Year, Lucas." She said, a smile in her voice.

They didn't turn to look at each other. They couldn't. But they stood together under the firework-filled sky, as a new year began **.**


	25. Chapter 16 - Almost Like Being In Love

**Thanks everyone for reading! and Thanks to Sandy for all the help! :D**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter 16: Almost Like Being In Love**

 _Set Around Valentine's day, eighth grade._

It was not a date.

It was just two friends spending one day in February together because all of their other friends had made plans that did not include them.

Farkle and Smackle decided to do the 'traditional couple thing'.

One of Riley's cheerleading friends asked Zay out and Zay, to prove that he was over his 'issues' with a certain Texan cheerleader of his past, accepted.

And Charlie Gardner asked Riley to the movies.

"I just think I was a bit unkind last time he asked me out," Riley told Maya after she had accepted. "And, even so, he was really nice when we all went to the dinner after the Semi-Formal. So, I thought, why not? It's just a movie."

"Perfect date," Lucas joked, "You get to sit next to each other and not talk for two hours."

Riley scoffed, "Like our two dates were any better."

"Sad, but true." Lucas agreed with a shrug. "So, Maya, what are your fabulous plans?"

"Well, Shawn is coming to take my mom somewhere fancy, and my grandma is going out with her friends. I'll probably just stay in and watch TV."

"Want some company?" Lucas asked, "Since we've both been deserted by our so-called friends."

"Oh, poor you-s." Zay said.

"Ignore him." Lucas said, shoving Zay away. "What do you say?"

-00-

Maya said yes. She and Lucas had spent a good chunk of the previous night texting back and forth, trying to decide what to do while all their friends were immersed in their Valentine's Day plans.

They settled on bowling, since they figured every other place in the city would be full to bursting.

"Pick one." Katy said as she rushed into Maya's room. She held out two dresses, one red and one purple.

"Purple." Maya said quickly, "Everyone will be wearing red or pink today."

"That's true." Katy agreed, leaving the red dress on Maya's bed and putting on the purple one. "What time are you leaving?"

"Few minutes. Lucas just texted he was on his way." Maya said as she tied her boots. "Do you think you could do those little braids I like?"

"Sure." Katy stood behind Maya and began sectioning her daughter's hair. "Where are you going on your date?"

"Bowling. But it's not a date."

"You're spending time alone... together... on Valentine's Day and it's not a date… right."

"Mom."

"Just like you guys didn't disappear together at New Years."

"We didn't. We just happened to choose the same hiding spot." Maya stood up, a little indignant. People – mostly Zay with a dash of Katy and Mrs. Friar thrown in – had been giving her a hard time about it since New Year's day. "Kissing at midnight is a stupid tradition." She added in a mumble.

There were a few things Katy would've liked to tell her daughter. Like the fact that she only got so intense when it was something that mattered to her; that she and Lucas spent an awful lot of time together and that Maya smiled every time she said his name, even when she was mad.

But that was all for Maya to figure out. "All right. I got it."

"Thank you." Maya said, sitting back down.

"Do you still want me to fix your hair?"

"Would you, please."

-00-

Maya was better than Lucas at bowling. She got really into it and relished beating him three times in a row. She wasn't exactly gracious about it but she was so proud of herself.

"I'm better than you at sports." She sing-songed as they left the bowling alley.

"Bowling is not a sport."

"They show it on ESPN."

"They also show competitive dancing."

"Which you have a secret passion for, I'm sure."

"You get me." Lucas deadpanned. "It's still early. Do you want to get something to eat?"

"Everything is going to be full. Wanna come to my place and order pizza?" Maya said impulsively. She almost never suggested hanging out at her apartment, mostly because Riley always felt uncomfortable when they did. But Lucas had seen her place plenty when he picked her up for their breakfast, or the couple of times he had showed up at her window, and he didn't seem to mind.

"Sure," Lucas agreed. If he was surprised he didn't show it and Maya was thankful for that.

.-

Back at her place, Maya ordered the pizza while Lucas went down to the Bunny-Mart across the street to get some sodas when they realized there was nothing to drink in the apartment. When he came back, he was on the phone.

"Yup, we'll just eat here and maybe watch some TV. I'll let you know when I leave." He said into the phone. "Have fun, Mom. Yeah, I'll tell her." He hung up and gave Maya the sodas. "I got some chips too. And my mom says hi."

"I love your mom." Maya said as she unpacked the bag in front of the TV. "What's this?" She asked, pulling out a small bouquet of what looked like pink carnations.

"Oh, it was the last bunch they had in the store. It looked a little pathetic in the bin so I bought it for you."

Maya rolled her eyes. "You are so corny sometimes." She said but went to the kitchen to find a glass to put the six or so flowers in.

Lucas ignored her. "Did you find anything good on TV?"

"Reruns of Sabrina the Teenage Witch! They're airing my favorite episode"

Lucas resigned himself to watching the long-gone sitcom for a while, asking Maya when he didn't understand something that was going on. He got up for the pizza when it came, too, because Maya was riveted.

"You have to admit that was good!" She said once it was over.

"I didn't hate it."

"I just love Harvey and Sabrina. They remain friends even after things fizzle out between them, and he's the one person who knows her secret and always keeps it, even when he's mad at her. And he puts up with a lot of stuff to protect it and her, even when they date other people. They're always friends first and everything else second."

"So they don't end up together?"

"Oh! They do! Sabrina is about to marry someone else but she gets literal cold feet, and in the process she realizes she never took off the bracelet Harvey gives her in this episode, when they first get together."

"The 12:36 one?"

"Yeah. And she realizes her fiancé is not her soul mate and they call off the wedding. And when she walks out Harvey is waiting for her, and it's 12:36." She couldn't help a little happy sigh when she was done explaining, but frowned when Lucas just stared at her and blinked slowly. "What?"

"Nothing. I just realized that, underneath that tough exterior and snarky attitude, you're a romantic."

"I am not!"

"You are too!" Lucas laughed.

"It's not like I believe love is a fairy tale. But when it's real, I want to think it's pretty awesome; like there's a reason for all those love songs and love stories, you know?"

"A. Romantic."

"Shut up, Huckleberry." Maya hit him with a pillow and he laughed, which just made her hit him harder over and over, in a one-sided pillow fight, until they were both laughing so hard she had to stop.


	26. Bonus 10: Prelude to a Trip

**Hello everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter! I was going to add it to the next full-chapter but it felt a little out of place but I liked it and I wanted to show more of this dynamic so here we are.**

 **Thanks to everyone who is reading the story, to Sandy for all the edits and help. I hope to have the next full chapter up in a couple of days.**

 **A shout out to babyblues02, for all the kind words!**

 **Also, I kinda feel bad because I rarely have time to answer the reviews personally (and I also never know if it's okay to message people) so, if anyone has any questions about the story, the fandom or anything really, just leave it the reviews and I swear I'll answer in the next chapter!**

Thanks!

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 _ **Bonus 10 – Prelude to a Trip**_

When Lucas had first brought up the idea of going to Texas for spring break, Maya thought he was joking. But as winter came to an end, he kept bringing it up and by mid March everyone was getting on board… everyone except Katy.

"I don't know, Maya." Katy said when Maya brought it up in front of Shawn, who had dropped by in between assignments to have dinner with them. "You know I want to fix the A.C. before summer and-"

Maya was prepared for this. "I know, but we'll be going to Lucas' grandparents house so no hotel fees, and you know the Friars don't mind feeding me. And Lucas said his dad has millions of frequent flyer miles we can use for tickets."

"Maya."

"Please, just don't say no. Say that you'll think about it."

"Fine. I'll think about it, but I'll have to talk to Lucas' mom first, okay?"

"Okay."

"Now, can we eat, please?"

Maya nodded, picked up her pizza slice, and was on her best behavior. She even declined to go out with Katy and Shawn for ice-cream after dinner in order to finish her homework.

* * *

Shawn thought it was still a little cold for ice cream, but the walk was nice and in the end he and Katy settled for coffee and cake instead. He had been careful not to take a side in front of Maya when she had brought up the spring break trip. He wasn't sure if it was up to him to get involved, but it was clear that the subject was still on Katy's mind.

"So, you're thinking about it?" He asked finally. "Spring Break?"

"I really can't afford it, you know?" Katy said. "I don't want her to miss out on anything, and things have been better with me working for Topanga, but we're still too close to financial disaster if she gets sick or I need to fix something big at home."

"I understand." Shawn said, adding sugar to his coffee. "Trust me, my life wasn't as white-picket-fence as Cory's. But I also know there's always a way. You heard Maya, they're going to a house, and food isn't an issue…"

"I still feel uncomfortable relying on the Friars for a plane ticket; it's not small change."

"I'll get Maya the ticket if you want. I've got millions of frequent flyer miles as well, and I know more travel agents than I can name."

"Wouldn't it be too much trouble?"

Shawn could tell Katy was about to give in, so he hedged his bets. "None at all."

* * *

A week later, Maya still hadn't heard a word from her mom about Spring Break and she was beginning to think that it wasn't going to happen. She understood: it wasn't practical.

And she was sure that in the middle of summer she'd be glad that her mom decided to fix the A.C. rather than let her go on Spring Break with her friends.

But it sure sucked in the meantime.

So she was pretty surprised when she came from school one afternoon after doing homework at Riley's to find an envelope waiting for her in the kitchen table and Katy wiggling excitedly in her chair.

"What's this?"

"Open it!"

Maya did and was greeted with a plane ticket and a handful of twenty-dollar bills. "Mom!" Maya screamed and hugged Katy tight.

"The ticket is from Shawn, and those are my tips from last week." Katy said, returning the hug. "I'm sorry I can't spare more."

"I don't care about the money." Maya said. "Thanks for finding a way for me to go."

"I can't say that it will always work out, baby girl, but I'll always try."

"Thanks, Mom."


	27. Chapter 17 - Texas Follies

**Hello everyone and Happy New Year!**

 **Sorry this took some time to get to you, I was in the middle of grading papers and then this turned out to be a trickier chapter to write than I thought it would be. But I hope you like it!**

 **Thanks to Sandy for the help with the editing and to everyone for reading the story.**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter 17: Texas Follies**

There was something about the wide-open space as far as the eye could see that spoke to Maya. She had never been in a place like it before. Being a city girl, she was used to buildings packed tightly together. Back home, everything was vertical, and even in the middle of Central Park all you had to do was look up and you knew you were in the heart of the city.

But the city of Austin, everything was flatter, closer to the ground and sprawling. However, that was nothing compared to Lucas's grandparents ranch. Their ranch had a rolling, green pasture fenced off a two-lane road with just a few buildings dotting the landscape.

"By Texas standards, it's small but we do all right," Lucas pointed out. He then proceeded to explain the difference between a horse ranch – like the one his grandparents had – and a cattle ranch, but Maya only half listened. There was so much to see and she felt the urge to reach for a pencil and start drawing everything.

The light was different here, casting a buttery glow onto everything. She had never encountered that before. Even the air was more translucent, throwing everything into sharp relief.

Then the house came into view. It was painted a sunny yellow with white trimmings. It also had the biggest wrap around porch Maya had ever seen. To say nothing of the wrap around balcony on the top floor. She didn't know what she wanted to draw first.

But drawing, alas, would have to wait because Lucas's Grandma Ruth threw open the front door as soon as they got off the taxi and quickly hugged Lucas before pushing him aside to get to Maya and Riley.

"Sweetheart, it's so good to finally meet you." She said, hugging Maya first. Maya leaned into the hug; these Friar people gave really good hugs to be honest.

"Same here."

"Lucas wouldn't shut up about you last time he was here." She said, patting Maya's cheek. "About the lot of you." Mrs. Friar added, letting go of Maya to hug Riley. "Could you two be any cuter?"

"Well, I can't answer that." Riley said with a grin.

"Come on back," Mrs. Friar said, quickly patting Zay and Farkle on the cheek. "I got lunch ready."

In the back porch, Lucas' grandmother had set enough food to feed an entire army. She insisted everyone called her Grandma Ruth, and kept telling Maya and Riley they were adorable. "I always wanted granddaughters," She said. "But all I got is boys and more boys."

"I know you love me, Gran." Lucas grinned.

"Of course, I do." Grandma Ruth said before adding in a whisper to Maya, "He's my favorite."

"He is pretty great." Maya agreed in the same whisper, earning her a big smile and a knowing look from Grandma Ruth.

* * *

Their stay in Texas wasn't at all what Maya expected. To start with, life at the ranch was subject to many schedules since it was a working ranch and they were in the middle of foaling season – when most of the horses were born, though, as Lucas pointed out, they could really be born any time of the year. And Lucas had plenty of chores helping his grandfather around.

He and Zay knew the routine of mucking stalls and feeding the horses, so they fell back on it pretty easily as Pappy Joe 'hired' them every summer to do just that type of job. They dragged Farkle along while the girls helped Grandma Ruth with preparing meals and checking their stock of different supplies.

But usually around 11 or 12 they were all done and free to do anything they wanted. Lucas and Zay took them to the city proper, to the UT-Austin with its orange campus to experience some 'longhorn pride'.

"I thought football season was over?" Farkle asked.

"Oh, it's always football season in Texas." Zay said.

They went to a place called Chubbie's, where Farkle got addicted to BBQ ribs, and to some of the many concerts that were always playing in Austin (which is the live music capital of the world).

"I can't believe you are actually going to make me square dance." Maya complained as Lucas explained the basic steps while everyone gathered in the dance floor at the Austin Rodeo, the day before they were meant to go back to New York.

"It's easy, you'll like it."

"You keep saying that." Maya said, trying to keep up the step.

"You liked learning to ride, didn't you?"

Maya couldn't disagree, so she just stuck her tongue out at him.

But the moments that were her favorites were the afternoons in the kitchen when Grandma Ruth baked for the following day. Sometimes Maya helped her, learning a few recipes along the way. But others she just sat there and worked on her drawings while the boys were off playing video games and Riley explored the ranch with the camera Shawn had given her a couple of years before.

Maya would sit at the long table and sketch what had happened during the day, using the fancy colored pencils Lucas had given her for Christmas.

The first time she was working, Grandma Ruth sat next to her and asked what she was doing.

"It's kind of like a travel journal; but instead of words, I just make drawings of the stuff that really stuck to me during the day. I don't get out of the city a lot, so whenever I do, I like to remember everything."

"Can I look?" Grandma Ruth asked. Maya was nervous but nodded, and handed over her sketchbook. She waited anxiously while she looked at the different drawings. "These are really good, Maya. And you got the house just right," Grandma Ruth added as she passed a sketch of the house as it looked approaching by the main road.

"Thanks."

By the third afternoon, it was a bit of a ritual. Grandma Ruth would be puttering around with her baking while Maya drew. Sometimes Maya helped with the baking; other times she just sat there and let Grandma Ruth look through her sketch pad.

"Now that's one gorgeous horse." Grandma Ruth said one time, pointing at the drawing she had made of Lucas' favorite horse, the one he had helped birth.

"Thanks, I was thinking of doing a few of these on canvas if I can find the materials at school."

"Give Lucas this one, and the boy will love you forever." Grandma Ruth nodded to the sketch of the palomino horse.

"I was thinking of saving it for his birthday."

"Smart girl." The older woman said approvingly. "Now, come and help me with this chocolate tart."

* * *

On their last night at the ranch, Lucas' grandfather built them a big bonfire outside. They all stayed up as late as they could, playing card games and talking. A happy feeling stole over Maya, as it did more often these days. She was surrounded by all these wonderful people that meant the world to her. Even though things had always been good since the day she had met Riley and they had become best friends, it seemed like from the moment Lucas had showed up everything had been better somehow. More vivid, somehow, full of light.

She couldn't explain it, but one thing was certain: pre-Lucas Maya would have never imagined her herself like she was now. But here she was, sitting next to a bonfire in Texas, and she felt warm and safe and so damn glad.


	28. Bonus 11: What Happens in Texas

**Hello my dears!**

 **Here is small bonus chapter for y'all, brought to you by my refusal to do actual work and Sandy's Efforts to keep you from weird sentences. Hope you Like :)**

* * *

 **WALK ME HOME**

 **Bonus 11: What Happens in Texas.**

Lucas knew he should be doing one of the million things he had to do to get ready for school the following day. Spring break, his mother had declared, was over the moment he got off the plane with his friends.

And that plane had landed hours ago. He was supposed to make sure he had done all his homework, put his books back in order, make sure his baseball practice uniform was clean and unpack.

He had done absolutely none of that. He was too wired, too restless. He wasn't sure why. He usually loved going to see his grandparents and it had been a great visit.

It had been great showing Maya, Farkle and Riley where he had grown up, and Maya hadn't mocked him too much about country life. She seemed kind of fascinated by it, actually.

Deep down, Lucas had always thought that if his New York friends ever met his Texas life, it would be like a jarring clash, but it wasn't like that at all. Even when they ran into Asher and Orlando at Chubbie's, they had all hung out together like it was no big deal.

And seeing Maya trying to charm the Friar Family Chili Recipe out of his grandmother had been a definite highlight (even if Maya had been unsuccessful). Grandma Ruth had loved her anyway, and had instructed Lucas to ask Maya back for summer.

If he could convince Maya to go, it would definitely be fun, but right now he was back in New York with a laundry list of things to do… so of course he decided to turn on his laptop and transfer all the pictures he had taken during the trip with his camera.

The first one was of Maya sleeping on the plane. There were some of all of them piling into the cab. Some of his old horses. A few more of Maya trying not to fall off the horse –as if he would let her - and a bunch of group shots at downtown Austin. A few in Chubbie's and before he knew it, Lucas was printing a bunch of photographs from the trip.

Once he was done, he spread them all over his desk, trying to put them in sequence – for what, he wasn't sure yet, maybe he would ask his mom to make him an album, like the ones she made for every single trip they ever took as a family – and that's when he noticed something.

The ratio of pictures of Maya was disturbingly high compared to everyone else, even himself. There was Maya smiling, sleeping, and cooking with his grandma, and wearing his hat and laughing at him. His favorite though wasn't one he had taken himself. It had probably been Riley who had snapped it – since Zay's pictures were always out of focus and Farkle tended to cut people's heads off. It was of him and Maya square dancing. They were in the middle of a turn and were smiling at each other.

It made him smile even now.

"Lucas, dinner!" His mother called from the kitchen.

"Coming!" He answered as he gathered all the pictures in a stack and stuck them in the top drawer of his desk to deal with later. He was about to close the drawer when, on impulse, he took the top picture – the one of him and Maya dancing – and propped it up against his desk lamp… to deal with later.


	29. Chapter 18 - Summer Plans

**WALK ME HOME**

 **Chapter 18: Summer Plans**

It was the last day of school before their middle school's graduation ceremony the following day. Eighth graders were allowed to skip first period, and for once Riley was over at Maya's, helping her pack.

Toward the end of April, Maya's father had reached out to Katy. He was at a good place, had a good job in Boston, and he wanted Maya to get to know his new family. He wanted to make amends.

So he had come down to the city a few times – which had been strained and awkward, but he kept trying, which was more than he had ever done before. So Maya also kept trying until they reached a sort of truce: they talked about superficial things and kept the visits short. Then, two weeks ago, Kermit had asked Katy if it was okay for Maya to spend the summer with him and his family in Boston.

There had been a bit of back and forth, and some mediation by Topanga, but in the end they settled that Kermit would come to the ceremony tomorrow, and then Maya would take the train with him to Boston to spend the first three weeks of summer with him.

Riley had not been pleased at first. She had their "Last Summer Before High School" planned out down to the minute, but when she saw how important this visit was to Maya and how nervous she was, Riley's mother hen instincts kicked in.

Hence the helping Maya pack thing.

"All right, I think that's the last from this checklist," Riley said, closing Maya's suitcase.

"Thanks, Riles," Maya said from the bed where she was assembling the backpack she was supposed to take on the train with her. She had borrowed it from Farkle, since she didn't really do backpacks. "Do you want to head into school now?"

"We might as well."

It was going to be a complicated summer. Usually all Maya and Riley did were laze away their days, taking breaks for minor schemes that caught Riley's fancy. But this year, everyone seemed to be on a tight schedule.

Lucas was being sent to a wilderness survival camp by his father (who believed in that sort of thing) for six weeks, starting the day after tomorrow and then off to work in his Grandfather's ranch as he did every summer with Zay tagging along for that last part.

Farkle was going to Brain Camp in two weeks, and staying there until the last week of summer. (Which seemed excessive to Maya but he was super excited).

Riley was staying in NYC while Maya was at her dad's. Then Shawn was taking the lot of them to this family retreat in the Catskills that wanted to be featured on his travel site – they were booked solid for the first half of the summer, but wanted to boost their revenue toward the second half of the season.

Then it would probably go back to the lazy and the scheming, until the last four weeks of summer when Riley was dragging Maya to a Girl Empowerment Camp! Riley said this was the age when they had to start taking a stand about things.

-00-

That day, after school, Maya found herself cleaning out her locker. She wasn't usually sentimental about stuff, preferring to just chuck everything in the garbage and call it a day. But these past few weeks had found her in a bit of a mood.

Maybe it was the end of middle school; the leaving of the familiar space and of the teachers she had come to like and respect, like Harper and Miss Kossal, and Mr. Matthews of course.

All those changes Riley had been talking about for months – 'things will be different in high school!' 'Your grades will matter in high school!' 'We might not be in all of the same classes in high school!' 'We can be whomever we want in high school!' – were about to rush out and meet them.

Maya took out the few pictures she had on the door of her locker, and the lyrics of The Girl From Ipanema, which she had tried to learn to play on the guitar. She threw out the papers; except for the A she got in English for her analysis of Sense and Sensibility. It was the first A she had ever gotten outside of art class. The other odds and ends were quickly sorted out and she gathered the books she planned on returning to the school's library.

Just as she was checking to see if she hadn't forgotten anything, Maya heard a distinctive "Boo!" in her ear and startled, nearly banging her head on the locker's door if not for the hand that appeared there to grab her forehead.

Lucas' hand.

"I finally got you!" He said, ignoring her scowl.

"You know this just ups the ante for next year, right?" He nodded. "So enjoy your small victory."

"I will," Lucas shrugged and reached for the books she was trying to balance in her arms.

"Thanks," Maya said. "So, what are you doing here? Thought you'd be at Riley's already."

"It was our last team meeting. Coach wanted to say goodbye. There was pizza."

"Why didn't you bring me any?"

"Because we're jocks and we ate it all?"

Maya pouted, "But-"

"I'll buy you a slice on the way to Riley's"

"Now you're talking."

"You know she'll probably have pizza at the party, right?" Lucas asked as they walked to the library.

"Nah, Matthews is grilling burgers and hotdogs," Maya shrugged.

"So, are you ready for tomorrow?"

"As in, did I pack my stuff already? Yes. I don't know if that makes me ready though," Maya admitted.

"It's going to be okay, Maya. Your sisters are going to love you. And you and your dad will get along. And everything will be okay at the end."

Maya shrugged, "Riley says the same. But I'm nervous. I haven't spent more than a few hours with my dad since I was, like, five. What if I can't forgive him?"

"Then you can at least know you tried and move on," Lucas said philosophically.

"That's easy for you to say, Fortune Cookie. But I committed to 3 weeks at his house. With his kids."

"No one will force you to stay the three weeks if you don't like it, Maya. You can always come back."

Maya clearly didn't want to talk about it anymore, so she changed the subject. "Now tell me, are you all packed up and ready to go?"

"Yes," He said, a little annoyed. "I can't believe my father is making me do this."

"I thought you liked the great outdoors."

"I do. I like working for Pappy Joe in the summer and being around the horses. I don't enjoy being stuck in a tent for six weeks without technology."

"Look at it this way, you'll come back with even more Ranger Rick skills I can make fun of."

"How is that supposed to make me feel better?" He asked, trying to frown but a smile won out.

"It made me feel better" Maya shrugged.

"Speaking of archaic ways," Lucas said, digging into his messenger bag. "Take this."

"A roll of stamps?"

"So you'll write to me. I'm going to be bored out of my mind so make it good."

"Fine. I'll tell you all about the dysfunctional adventures of the Hart-Clutterbucket family."

"You better," Lucas replied as they entered the library. Suddenly he paused.

"What?"

"Is your dad's name really Kermit Clutterbucket?"

"Shut up."

-00-

The party at Riley's was a success. All their classmates went and they played the friendship game. They were also treated to a mini-meltdown from Mr. Matthews about the grill - as Maya always said, it was the best show in town.

Afterward, Maya stayed to help Riley clean up before heading off with Katy.

The next day was a blur.

Katy and Shawn – who arrived super early that morning – took her out for a celebratory breakfast, and then it was off to school for the ceremony. There Shawn met her father and that was awkward as heck until Riley Matthews, diffuser of all things awkward, glued herself to Maya's side and made things easier, just by being there.

In the end there were tons of pictures to be taken – mostly by Shawn, though Riley was becoming quite good at it too, and she took a picture of Maya, her dad, Katy and Shawn, which would go on to become her favorite of that day.

There were hugs to be given and another very awkward meal at Topanga's before Maya and her dad took the train. Riley, Farkle and Lucas insisted on going to Grand Central with them to see them off, where Riley and Farkle pushed a bunch of last minute snacks on Maya and Lucas gave her the latest volume of Miss Marvel to read on the train.

They gave her a group hug. "Have fun, but not as much as you would have with me." Riley said.

"I would never dare."

"Don't forget to write," Lucas told her.

"I won't."

"Forget or write?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"I just came so it's not just the two of them."

"Have fun at Brain Camp, Farkle."

"Stop calling it Brain Camp."

"I would never!"

-000-

Once Maya and her dad found seats on the train, there was a little awkward silence.

"So, those are your friends."

"Yeah," Maya said, rubbing her hands on her pants.

"They seem nice."

"They are." Maya said, and she finally understood that Lucas had been right the day before when he said she could always come back if she didn't like staying at her dad's. She would always have those three goofballs to be her home if all else failed.

And suddenly, nothing was as scary anymore.

-00-

A/N: Hey guys! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! A thousand thanks for reading, and thanks to Sandy for the editing! :D


	30. Chapter 19: Pen Pals

**Hey everybody!**

 **I'm sorry it took a bit for this chapter to see the light, but I hope you like it. It is kind of massive and I can't thank Sandy enough for all the help she provided.**

 **Without further ado, onto the chapter!**

* * *

 **WALK ME HOME**

 **Chapter 19: Pen pals**

 **Huckleberry,**

The train ride was actually pretty good. My father and I were in the middle of our second hour of awkward silence – which I only survived because of Ms. Marvel, so thanks for that – when this elderly couple that was sitting across from us asked if we wanted to play cards with them.

They taught me to play bridge and now I've got a new sport I can kick your butt in! (And yes, before you ask- bridge is SO a sport; it's even shown on ESPN.)

I almost lost dad when I had to switch to a local train, but when we got to the station near his house, his daughters and wife were there.

The girls – Melissa and Molly – made me a sign that said "Welcome, Maya!" and they seem to be excited to have me here. They talked a mile a minute on the ride from the train station to the house. Their mom seems a little standoffish so far but not unkind.

I talked to Riley a few minutes ago, and she's freaking out on my behalf. Which is maybe why I'm not. It's good when you can count on someone to freak out for you. But if she asks, please tell her I'm OK.

At least I think so.

What about you? Are you one with nature yet?

Maya.

* * *

 **Ms. Penelope,**

No, I'm not one with nature yet. I have been here for all of two days. Though having to explain to my cabin mates why you call me Huckleberry was definitely fun.

Riley hasn't written yet, but I'll be sure to pass along your message if she does. Farkle sent me contraband candy, so that was good… until my cabin mates found out and I had to share.

One thing I can say for this place is that it is beautiful. I think you'd like it. Not camp life, but the place itself.

I don't think you would like camp life, actually. But I guess I don't mind it as much. I do miss my phone though, and I wish I could talk to you.

I hope things are better with your family.

Lucas.

* * *

 **Ranger Rick Huckleberry Mc Boing Boing (try to explain that!)**

What did you tell your cabin mates about me?

And cabin? I thought you were going to be in a little tent, out in the woods?

Were you complaining all of last week for nothing?

I'm very disappointed in you, Mister Howdy.

And yeah, you're right. I wouldn't like camp life but I'm still going to get a chance to experience it thanks to Riley…let's be honest, how long do you think I'll survive camp with her?

Family stuff is a little better. I figured out why my step- gosh, that sounds awful – my father's wife was so frazzled the day I arrived. She's an office manager at a law firm in town and they're in the middle of a big case, so she's working lots of overtime. Her name is Becky, by the way.

I also met her sister Anna. She watches over Mel and Molly when their mom is at work. She's 17, talks a mile a minute and has a thick Boston accent (Though she says I'm the one who sounds funny). The other day, she and I took the girls out to Back Bay, which is where all the fancy shops are and the Public Library.

I think our Public Library is better, but I didn't say anything because...well, people get weird about that. I also took care not to mention the Yankees or the Mets, less I be murdered on the street.

Though my father did say he would try to get us tickets to go to Fenway before I leave. I guess it's kind of a thing here. Anna said she'd take me to the neighborhood because it's a must to visit it when you're in Boston.

I do miss Riley and everyone back home. We have been talking everyday, but it's not the same.

Write back,

Maya.

* * *

 **Short stack,**

I told the guys that you were this city chick who makes fun of my Texas heritage. They asked why I let you and I said that it's because you're scary. They're all very impressed.

And yeah… I'm in a cabin; we're doing the full-on cave man stuff gradually. Last week we stayed in a tent for a night. At the end of camp, we should be able to survive in the wild with only the most basic equipment for a week. Yay. Not.

Right now we're learning all the ways you can start a fire using rudimentary tools. So far, we are up to 8 or 9 depending on what you count as a rudimentary tool. We aren't sure if toothpaste counts.

Next up are knots, but I might have an advantage there. As you might recall, I'm pretty handy with a rope.

We went on this really long hike the other day, and we made it to a lake and it was like a mirror. I know I keep saying this camp is not what I wanted to do this summer, but I can't deny how beautiful it is here. I think you would like it.

Lucas.

* * *

 **Lucas,**

I'm running out of nicknames to call you. I clearly need to apply myself to this task, which I will do… sometime. Sorry if this letter is a little late; remember I told you my father's wife works at a law firm? Well, their big case got bigger –she tried to explain how but I don't listen well – and they needed trusty people to make copies and shred papers. Becky asked Anna and me to do it.

We made almost 200 bucks, sitting in the office all day making copies and going to get lunch orders and the like for the last three days. Easiest money ever. Plus, these lawyers go through coffee like you wouldn't believe. They've got their own free coffee cart right in the office, and you can just take all the coffee you want. It's awesome.

I told Riley about the money and she's already planning on what we're going to do with it. She says she's going to ask her grandma to take us to all the malls and outlets in the Philly-metro area.

She's a little more bummed now that Farkle has gone to Brain Camp. But maybe that'll give her some time to bond with Auggie. Being here with Mel and Molly, it's made me realize that's a pretty important bond too.

Since the temp work is over, I stayed all day Saturday with the girls, and I made them that chocolate tart with raspberries that Grandma Ruth taught me to make. It was a big hit; though my father nearly had a coronary when he found out I had gone to Texas for spring break.

He kept saying, "Your mom just let you go to Texas with strangers?!" over and over until I kind of snapped and said, "Well, she let me come here, didn't she?" That shut him up. But I felt a little bad about it afterwards. Dad went really quiet for a while. But Becky said not to mind him, and later he apologized.

I told him I was sorry too, but that I didn't like when he questioned my mom. He said he understood. I don't know if I should tell my mom. What do you think?

Sorry if I've dumped all my emotional blah blah blah on you. I'm enclosing a Fenway Park fridge magnet, because I know you're into that kind of thing… and it's the only thing from the gift shop that would fit in an envelope.

Maya.

PS- How did your rope trick go over at Cave Man Camp?

* * *

 **Maya,**

Thanks for the magnet. I've been using it as a bookmark since Farkle sent me a few books so I wouldn't die of boredom out here. He has a strange idea of what a fun book to read is, but he got me one on the history of baseball and it's actually pretty engrossing.

You had to mention the chocolate tart, didn't you? You won't believe what passes for food rations out here. I mean, it's edible, but it really makes me miss Geraldine's cafeteria food.

You're going to have to make that tart for me when I get back.

As for the other stuff, I think you should tell your mom if you feel that's what you need to do. Your dad did say he was sorry; I guess he's on a learning curve too.

But it really is up to you.

And you can unload on my any time you like. I did ask for the dysfunctional adventures of the Hart-Clutterbucket family.

Sorry to cut this letter short. We're spending more time in the woods now and I need to hustle.

Read you soon,

Lucas

PS- Rope trick went over well. Thanks for asking.

* * *

 **Lucas,**

I'm in paradise.

Well, the Catskills, really.

This resort is nice, and my mom keeps saying everything looks like in the movie Dirty Dancing but in a good way. Riley and I are going to find the movie when we get back to the city to figure out what she means.

Meanwhile I'm spending most of the day sitting by the lake, reading this book Anna gave me as a farewell gift. She said it's her favorite book set in Boston, and I'm kind of loving it, actually, even if one of the main characters is obsessed with baseball.

Riley is also dragging me around to try the activities. We've gone hiking and on a pedal boat around the lake. I've also been drawing a lot. Shawn is teaching Riley about composition and photography; listening to them, I've been learning about perspective and how to frame what I want to draw.

Oh, and there's a golf course here. Riley says she wants to try it, but I think she just want to get one of the outfits. Apparently there are rules about what you can and can't wear on the course.

My mom seems really happy. She and Shawn do look more like a couple now. She said he came to the city a few times while I was away and they have gone on a few more dates, but that she wants to take it slow.

Anyway, how are the woods treating you?

Maya.

* * *

 **Maya** ,

Well… it's not paradise, but I'm over the complaining and there is only a couple of weeks left, so I'm just ready to get it over with. It hasn't been as bad as I make it sound sometimes. I just wish I had had a say on what to do, and that I had been able to talk to you guys over the summer.

Also, Grandma Ruth sent me a care package and a letter and she's sad you're not coming for another visit this summer. I told her about the camp thing you're going to with Riley. (She said that does sound important, so she's giving you a pass.)

I'm really looking forward to the ranch and working with the horses again. And [having my own space again]. Sharing the cabin with four guys was almost okay, but the tent is even smaller and it's annoying being with them ALL day every day.

So you've got that to look forward to at camp.

Are you back in the city yet?

Describe it to me so I don't forget.

Lucas.

* * *

 **Young Lucas,**

It looks like you might be coming down with a bit of homesickness. Admit it, you're a city boy now!

And yes, I'm back in the city for the next couple of weeks at least. I swear I don't think I've been more tired any other summer of my life. But it's been fun.

Right now, Mom and Topanga are letting us pick up some shifts at the café. Mostly busing tables and fiddling with the displays, though in the afternoons-when it's slow- Mom is teaching us to use the coffee machine. I'm learning how to make a pretty good latte.

Plus, Shawn and Mr. Matthews said they'd match whatever money we make over the next two weeks for back-to-school supplies. I also get to do the specials board in colored chalk, and Riley made her mom get a board for the street, so I write inspirational coffee quotes every day. Most of them are corny but I like doing it. I'm teaching my mom how to do them for when I'm at camp.

Did I tell you? Apparently, Mom and Shawn saw a lot of each other while I was at my father's. She still tells me not to get all my hopes up about that working out but I'm starting to. I can't tell Riley 'cause she might jinx it getting overly excited.

Maya.

* * *

 **Maya,**

That's good news about Shawn and your Mom. Though, I was thinking about it the other day and I don't think I've ever actually talked to him. Out of all of Riley's uncles, I think the only one I've talked to is Mr. Squirrels.

And no, I am not a city boy now. In just a few days, I'll be living up to my Texan heritage once more. But first I have to survive this whole week in the wildness thing.

I'm not looking forward to it but, at least, freedom is on the other end of it. And my grandma's cooking; that's probably what I'm looking forward the most, and sleeping on an actual bed.

And my phone. My phone and I will do some serious bonding when this is over.

Let's hope I learned my wilderness skills right.

Sorry for the shortness, I'm kind of exhausted.

Lucas.

Ps- I did notice you did not describe the city for me.

* * *

 **Lucas** ,

You better have learned those skills right!

I guess that's pointless for me to say since by the time you get this, it'll probably be all over. But you better be safe! No heroics, Sundance! If something happens to you, who will take me out for pancakes? Who?

I've been running around all week after work with Riley. We're getting some last minute stuff for Camp, and Josh came down to the city to bring some stuff. He's storing it at Riley's before he moves into the dorms in a few weeks. We've been taking him shopping.

There was a bit of an incident with some friends of his that had tagged along. They said some unsavory things about Riley and me. Topanga told him that if that's the kind of friends he plans to have, they are not welcome. Josh felt bad about it, so he took us to Coney Island.

Have you been there? It's kind of a rite of passage for us city kids to go, but I've never liked it much. It's such a MATTHEWS thing to do. I used to go with them when I was little, but it's one of the few times I've ever felt like an interloper when I'm with them. You know how Mr. Matthews had this whole thing with the Cyclone and taking Riley on the last night of it.

When my grandfather was alive, he would take me to this revival theater in Brooklyn so I would have an excuse not to go with them on that last night of the Cyclone. It was our thing. By the time he died, they had stopped asking [me to come with them].

Still, if you haven't done it, I guess we need to take you and Zay sometime before it closes for the season. Like I said, rite of passage. Like skating at Rockefeller Center.

I must go now; Riley wants to supervise my packing. She wants to make sure I pack enough sunscreen and bug repellant. I swear, if it weren't because Topanga brainwashed my mom into this…

You better stay safe,

Maya.

Ps. I enclosed a drawing of the city skyline as seen from Riley's roof. There's the city for you.

* * *

 **Maya** ,

Thank you for your good wishes. I survived and now I'm at the ranch with my grandparents. I slept for, like, two days straight when I got off the plane here in Austin but now I'm feeling better and it's back to mucking stalls and working with the horses.

Zay keeps saying he's my boss because he has been working at the ranch for a week longer than me and says he has seniority. So, of course, I had to push him into the hay.

Grandfather wasn't amused, so we had to spend two days moving sacks of feed from one side of the barn to the other, which is just about the most mind-numbing task you can imagine.

But we're off the hook now and expecting three mares to foal very soon, which means checking the stalls every few hours. It's a waiting game really. You never know when it's going to happen and Grandma Ruth says it's meant to teach us patience.

I hope to be here when it happens. Remember how I told Riley I helped deliver a horse once? Well, here is the truth: I was terrified and I don't really remember much of it. I think that happens sometimes when something important happens but you're not ready for it. Sometimes you need to go back and try again. Pay more attention.

I want to really remember it this time around.

Now, tell me all about camp. Are you ready to toss Riley into the lake yet?

I'm assuming there's a lake. There's always a lake.

Lucas.

PS- Thanks for the drawing. My grandma wants to frame it and display it in the living room. That's high praise right there.

PS 2- I'll take you to see old movies on the last night of the Cyclone if you want. It'll be our thing.

* * *

 **Dear Sundance,**

Yes, I'm quite ready to chuck Riley into the lake.

She is relentlessly cheerful and just loves it here.

And this place is a lot more crunchy granola than I expected. We have to attend these mandatory seminars about 'Finding your own thunder!" and "Boldly go forward with your dreams!". It's a lot of mumbo jumbo, but the other girls seem nice. Sometimes they do give useful advice about setting goals and time management.

One of the counselors told us that the seminars do get less cheesy towards the second half of the camp but that we can choose which ones to attend later on. The later ones will have guest speakers and stuff.

In the meantime, I'm learning archery, of all things. We had to choose an activity that we're not familiar with that's a solitary pursuit – to learn focus and stuff – and another one that requires teamwork to succeed. The girls in my cabin chose rowing.

It's actually harder than it looks. You have to really move in sync for the canoe thing to go fast. We're not there yet, but it does give you a sense of accomplishment when we manage to row at the same pace for a while.

It's very peaceful here, and Riley and I've been doing a little exploring of our own when we have free time. She's really getting into the whole photography thing.

Also, before I forget, have the new horses been born? Can I name one? Riley said that if there is a girl-horse you need to call her Princess Dancing Sunlight in her honor.

Maya.

Ps. I will hold you to that!

* * *

 **Dear Ms. Penelope,**

I see that you have reached back into the barrel of my nicknames for one that you had forgotten.

To answer your question, there are no new horses yet, but Pappy Joe said that yes, you can name one. He also said there is no way we are naming a horse Princess Dancing Sunlight, but Grandma Ruth said that she'll name one of the horses Sunlight, in Riley's honor. Ask her if she's OK with that.

Pappy Joe has a whole thing about dignified horse names. Plus, did you know there is actually a registry and a set of rules for naming horses? It's very hardcore when you're dealing with thoroughbreds (race horses). All serious horse operations keep detailed records on their horses.

I'll send you pictures of the foals when they are born, so you can pick out which one you want to name. And yes, I do mean actual pictures; I'll go print them and everything.

I hope the rowing is going well, and the archery too.

The seminars do sound a bit generic, but Grandma Ruth says you can learn something out of anything. She's cross-stitching that for you as we speak. Or write. I miss actually hearing your voice.

Zay and I are getting together with Asher and Orlando in a while. Pappy Joe said he'd let us practice driving the old truck. Next year I can get a learner's permit because yes, you can get a permit at 15 in Texas.

Write soon,

Lucas.

* * *

 **Dear Hop-a-long,**

See! I found another nickname that I had forgotten!

The rowing is going pretty well. We managed to get across the lake without pausing or nearly drowning. Now we have to work on speed. Riley is a natural at calling the shots – we had to pull her out of the rowing lineup because she kept getting distracted but she's good at keeping us on task. It's so strange, but at the same time it kind of makes sense.

By the way, I asked her about the Sunlight thing and she says that's acceptable. I'm thinking up names right now, but I really want to see the pictures first.

Archery is going well; at least I haven't shot anyone yet!

The seminars are a little better now, and I don't hate camp life as much as I thought I would. It's really peaceful here and quiet. And you know I don't get a lot of quiet. And thanks to the care package Grandma Ruth sent we are the Queens of Cabin six. Those cookies are amazing! Beg her for the recipe on my behalf and thank her too.

Last night, we sat around the campfire and told scary stories. I remember that one you told me about the murder in a dorm. It went over well. Thought Riley refused to sleep in her own bunk bed and snuck into mine.

She kicks.

But she's all right now.

Oh, did I tell you my sisters have been writing to me too? They saw me writing to you when I was staying with them and said that they wanted to send me letters too.

I can't make sense of half the stuff they write, but Riley says that's normal. She doesn't get half the stuff Auggie says sometimes.

Been drawing a lot too-mostly the lake. I'm trying to figure out how to represent the water's movement, and how it changes throughout the day.

One of the counselors saw me, and she said I should try watercolors. I said watercolors? And she gave me this Serious Look. She said watercolors are for the brave because there is nothing about it that you can really control; you can have a plan but you never know how the color will stain once you put it on the canvas, and that you have to be quick.

It made me want to try.

I'll ask Ms. Kossal about it. She told me she'll be teaching at our high school too when I went to say goodbye on the last day of class.

Oh, high school… I can't believe it's almost here.

Maya.

* * *

 **Dear Maya,**

Don't worry too much about high school. I'll be there. Farkle and Riley will be there. Zay too. It'll be the same; we'll just be at the bottom of the totem pole.

But it will be fun. I promise.

Well, not fun exactly but we'll all be together and in the same boat.

The foals have been born: two mares and one colt. I was there and I didn't panic too much, but there's a lot more… fluids than I remembered, though it is pretty darn cool.

You can pick which one you want to name. Pappy Joe already said he wouldn't oppose any name.

But please, no princesses. There is only so much he can take.

I enclosed the pictures.

I'm trying to spend as much time with my grandparents as I can. Since, as you said, summer will be over sooner than we realize.

It's strange how torn I am. While I'm here it seems like my whole life is in pause, like I'm taking a breath after rushing and rushing for weeks on end. But I also want to get back to my life, my people and just everything that's not here.

And when I'm in the city, I sometimes miss the quiet and the stars that seems so different here than back at home. And then I realize I really do think of New York as my home now.

Lucas.

* * *

 **Dear Lucas,**

New York is your home now. You better not forget that.

That's where I am, where we all are. I'll deny it in court, but we're better when you're around. And if you ever say I said that, I'll jack you up, son.

But I understand.

Toward the end, when I was in Boston, that kind of started to feel real too. I've found myself thinking about my father and his family a lot over the summer. I'm still not sure how I feel about it all.

But I know New York is my home, because that's where you are. And Riley and Farkle and even Zay.

I'm going to miss this place though, and the quiet, and even the girls from Cabin Six. Riley is already planning our 10-year reunion, I'm sure.

Tomorrow, all the cabins that chose rowing as their activity are having a competition. Riley is pumped! She says we're going to win.

Then camp's over. After that, we're spending a couple of days with Riley's grandparents in Philly before driving down with them so they can move Josh into his dorm.

And we'll finally be able to talk. On the phone at least. And you better call me because my phone plan kind of sucks.

Take lots of pictures of my horse, so you can show me when I see you next.

Maya.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Thanks for reading!**_


	31. Bonus 12: Me Without You

_**Hey guys!**_

 _ **This bonus is a little different as is all about Riley. Sometimes I don't feel like I include enough of her, at first it made sense because I was specifically writing "in between" the episodes, about stuff when she wasn't there, but since I'm pretty much doing my own thing now I thought, why not? we need to know what's going on with her.**_

 _ **So, here it is.**_

 _ **Next chapter should come soon. It's called "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life. Part I"**_

 _ **Thanks to Sandy for all the help - it was really fun editing this with you! - and to everyone for reading. Also, stick around to the end for some announcements.**_

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Bonus 12: Me Without You**

Farkle was right.

In order for a living organism to thrive, it needed room to grow and change.

And that summer, the one before high school, was the summer lots of things changed.

It was the summer Riley learned to love her mother. One night it was just the two of them –Cory was with Auggie in Philly – and they decided to treat themselves to a fancy dinner. Topanga taught her to put on a little make-up and let her have a tiny sip of her wine, and they had so much fun while they talked about boys and growing up and how scary the world could be that they decided to make Fancy Dinner Night a monthly thing. Just the two of them.

It was the summer she learned to have girlfriends that weren't Maya. When Samantha from the squad called her and asked her for a sleepover with the other girls from cheerleading, Riley had been nervous. She had always felt a little like an outsider with those girls because they had been together since Pee Wees. But they had embraced Riley and she kept seeing them throughout the summer; sometimes without even telling Maya about it.

It was the summer she learned she didn't have to tell Maya everything for them to remain the best of friends. That she could keep some things for herself.

It was the summer she learned that first crushes didn't automatically translate into forever, and that it wasn't a bad thing. That somewhere between their awkward second date and the Semi-Formal "Lucas and Riley's Unofficial Thing" had stalled.

It was the summer she admitted what she had been seeing all though the last year: Maya and Lucas' 'game' was far more than just teasing, even if they didn't know it yet. That the looks, the allusions to private conversations and the long letters they wrote to each other all throughout the summer had to mean something.

And during their camp days when Maya disappeared to paint, or to write to Lucas or to practice archery, Riley learned to listen to her own heart. She learned to appreciate how it went on beating when Maya wasn't around.

They were the best of friends; they would be for the rest of their lives. And that meant sometimes there would be jealousy, and they would fight and get on each other's nerves and sometimes they would want to be apart from each other, and that was OK.

Because that summer, Riley finally learned that being alone wasn't always bad. Sometimes it was just what you needed to be alright.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Okay, announcements time. So... I hope to be able to update fairly quickly in the next few days, but with that will also come a little re-arranging of the pieces. Particularly of Chapter Six "One Sick Day" which is set "Early during Freshman Year of High School". Back when I first started writing this story, I wasn't sure what was going to happen or how long I was going to be able to stick with the story, but since my timeline is about to catch up with that chapter, I thought it would make more sense if I moved it to where it would fit in the continuity (either as chapter 21 or 22, depends on the one I'm currently typing away).**_

 _ **To replace this chapter I wrote a new chapter six to fill the slot, which will be up soon. I hope that made sense.**_

 _ **Thanks to everyone for sticking to the story!**_


	32. Chapter 20 - The First Day of

**Thanks to everyone for reading the story, I hope I can update pretty quickly in the next few days!**

 **The new version of Chapter 6: Laundry Night is now, up so I encourage you to check that out.**

 **Thanks to Sandy for all the edits and all the patience :D I still owe you that Dramione fic and I've not forgotten!**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter 20: The First Day of the Rest of Your Life (Part 1)**

Maya spent the last couple of weeks of summer hanging out with her mom at the café, helping the assorted Matthews move Josh into the dorms at NYU and just enjoying her room, her bed and being back in New York.

Katy made sure to be home every afternoon, and they would watch movies together, hunt down sales for last-minute school supplies and eat way too much ice cream.

Maya had a bit of a shock when, the day before classes started, Katy came home with a large box in her hands wrapped all pretty.

"It's for you."

"What is it?" Maya asked, tearing off the paper to find a laptop. "Mom!"

"It's from your father and I. He sent me his half this morning and Topanga helped me pick it out. It's nothing too fancy but we figured that now that you're in high school you might need it for school and god knows our old desktop barely runs anymore."

"Thank you mom, this is great!" Maya said, immediately opening it.

"Topanga had the guy at the store help us set it up. Now you can Skype with your father and your sisters whenever you want."

"Yeah," Maya said nodding and clicking open all the browsers and apps to see what programs it had. "I hadn't thought of that but it'll be great. Thank you. I'm going to call Dad to thank him too."

"Go ahead, I'll fix us some dinner."

Maya called her father, and got to talk with her sisters for a bit before Katy asked her to set the table for dinner. Later she Skyped with Riley and they made plans to meet up with the boys the following day before school.

She got a text right before she went to sleep from Lucas letting her know he and Zay had finally arrived – though their plane from Austin had been delayed for over 3 hours.

-0-

The next day, Maya fidgeted with her clothes before settling on an outfit for the day. She hadn't been this nervous when she and Riley had started middle school… she had even taken a risk that day, talking to Lucas, and that turned out alright. Lucas' introduction into the group turned their little triangle of friendship into a square dance. Last year Zay had come along and now they were a pentagon (and if she counted Smackle then it turned into a polygon of some sort and those just gave her headaches).

In any case, high school was different. Riley had been talking for months and months about it, about how things would change, and it had gotten into her head.

"Babygirl," Katy said, knocking on the door to Maya's room. "It's getting late."

"I know," Maya said, picking up the embroidered canvas tote bag she and Katy had found in a discount shop deep in the village. Maya didn't do backpacks. "Are you sure I can't stay home?"

"I'm sure."

"But Mom…"

Katy took Maya by the shoulders and directed her to the door. "You can tell me how I ruined your life after school."

"Don't think that I won't," Maya said, but she left to pick up Riley.

.

And way too soon they were in front of their new school.

"So, this is it, huh?" Riley said as they stood in front of Abigail Adams High School.

"Yup," Maya said, eying the building with distrust.

"We were kings, and now we are patriots," Riley said under her breath.

"Apparently."

"Are you scared?" Riley asked, surprised.

"A little," Maya admitted. "I don't know what happens now and that's scary."

"Nothing bad happens," Riley reassured her.

"What if high school changes things?"

"What could possibly change between us? We'll go in, we'll get our schedules, work hard, get into NYU, land fabulous jobs and then I get to be your maid of honor and make the best toast ever at your wedding. Easy peasy."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because of this," Riley said, lifting her hand and showing Maya their friendship ring.

"Ring power," Maya said with a smile, reaching out to take Riley's hand.

"Ring power."

"Thunder!"

"Lighting!"

"Yay!" They finished at the same time with a laugh.

"Maya! Riley!" Lucas called from half a block away as he walked toward them with Zay.

"Huckleberry!" Maya said happily, going to meet him halfway, only to find herself being lifted and twirled around while Riley, Zay and a newly arrived Farkle watched them.

"What's that all about?" Farkle asked.

"Who knows?" Riley shook her head, bewildered.

"No, really, what are they doing?" Farkle insisted as Maya and Lucas stayed a few paces away, talking a mile a minute while blocking the path and barely noticing the rest of them and the other freshmen that were beginning to congregate.

"I don't think they know what they're doing," Zay said.

"Do you know what they're doing?" Riley asked Zay point blank.

"I know as much as you do."

Riley stared at him for a moment. "Indeed," she said cryptically.

"What? What do you know?" Farkle asked.

But Riley didn't answer and instead called out, "Guys! Come on! First bell is about to ring! High school waits for nobody!"


	33. Chapter21: One Sick Day (Rainy Night 2)

**That's it! Hope you enjoy! Thanks to Sandy for the helpful edits (you Rock, lady!) and to everyone for reading and commenting! Thanks!**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 ** _Chapter 21 – One Sick Day (One Rainy Night Part 2)_**

 ** _(Sometime, early in Freshman Year of High School)_**

Lucas could swear he felt it the moment he arrived at a school. It was something in the air. It wasn't right.

It didn't take him long to figure out Maya was out with the flu. It was what Farkle and Riley had been talking about when he saw them in the hallway outside their homeroom.

"She was a mess," Riley said. "Stuffy nose, watery eyes, the works."

"Well, it's been a while since the last one, she was due for a cold any day now." Farkle said.

"It arrived with a vengeance. And you know how she HATES being sick."

"Who's sick?" Lucas asked.

"Maya." Riley explained. "Her mom called my dad this morning to let him know; and I stopped by her place on my way here. I'm to collect her homework and take it to her after school, even though she's probably not going to do it." She added with a sigh.

"I'll come with." Farkle said immediately.

"Lucas?"

"Basketball practice," He said morosely. Missing practice meant sitting out the next three games.

"Oh, right." Farkle said with a shrug and then it was time to go inside.

And from then on, his day just wasn't the same.

Lucas supposed Maya had missed school before – there was that time in 7th grade when Mr. Matthews had failed her on a test, and she decided to quit school - but they hadn't been as close back then.

And they sure loved to sneak out during lunch hour to have burritos and chimichangas from time to time. They had yet to convince Riley and Farkle to tag along since going off campus was only for upperclassmen and they were lowly freshmen.

But that was the thing. Usually when Maya missed a class – which was rare, he tried to make sure they made it back on time – he was with her, so he didn't miss _her._

Today he did.

There was no one to say "Good morning, Sundance," in the hallway, or to rest her elbow on his desk like she owned it. No blond hair spilling over his notebook, making it hard (yet fun) to write around it.

By lunch hour, he was losing it. He sat in the cafeteria with Riley, Farkle and Zay; eating a sloppy Joe and thinking his day just wasn't going as it was supposed to. He pulled out his cell phone to text her a simple "How are you?"

It took her ages (or 20 minutes but who's counting?) to answer, all in smileys: dog– sick face –thumbs down-thumbs up-smiley face.

"What's that even supposed to mean?"

"Sick as a dog but thanks for asking?" Farkle said, looking into the screen.

"You think?"

"Or maybe it's gibberish." Riley shrugged.

"Aren't you worried?" Lucas asked.

"Maya is home with a cold, Lucas, that's all. She gets a bad one every five years or so, she'll be fine. She always is. She's probably lying on the couch, watching Sabrina the teenage witch and eating cereal."

"I'm still worried." Lucas mumbled as the four of them left the cafeteria.

Riley rolled her eyes, throwing her arms up in defeat. Farkle looked at Lucas for a moment then shook his head, like Lucas was really quite hopeless, and went to his pre-calculus class. Zay patted him on the back and followed Riley.

-000—

Maya grunted as she stood up from the couch when the doorbell rang, interrupting her Oprah marathon on TV. Thinking her mom had probably forgotten her keys or something, since she had just ran back from Topanga's to check on her during her break, Maya opened the door automatically

"Ranger Rick?" she whispered, her voice scratchy. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"Last period free and basketball practice was pushed an hour later since half the team had to meet with their math tutors." Lucas said, "We really need to talk about this habit of yours of opening the door without asking who is it."

"Thought you were my mom." Maya said, re-arranging the blanket she had over her shoulders. "She left like five minutes ago. And I'm sick." She sniffled for effect.

But Lucas didn't answer, he was looking at what Maya was wearing under the blanket.

"What?" She asked defensively, then remembering she covered herself.

"Is that my t-shirt?"

"No," Maya said quickly, "If I recall correctly, I claimed it for my own." She looked down; the bright purple of the t-shirt had started to fade, the cotton worn soft after many washings, but the gold lettering still held some sparkle as it spelled out LUCAS THE GOOD. "I'll have you know it's very comfy."

"Looks like it." Lucas said with a grin, which died quickly when Maya swayed. "You shouldn't be up."

"I wasn't until you came along." She snapped, even as he passed her a small bag he had carrying before he picked her up and took her back to her nest on the couch. "What's this?"

"Orange juice and some fruit I brought for you. I didn't know if you'd eaten."

"Mom gave me toast before work and I think she brought chicken soup just now."

"Want me to check? Soup is good for a cold."

"I'll eat this first." Maya said, taking the freshly squeezed juice and the fruit container. "Thanks."

"Okay," He said, sitting next to her.

"How was school today?" Maya asked, leaning into him.

Lucas shifted, so she could rest against him. "Same old. We got a worksheet due tomorrow for bio, but I'll do it since we're lab partners anyway."

"Thanks, Huckleberry."

"You watching, Oprah?"

"I like Oprah," Maya said defensively.

"Who doesn't?" Lucas said quickly, though he had no opinion either way.

"And 'm waiting for the Law and Order marathon to start."

They made small talk as Maya ate. When she was done, Lucas asked if she wanted her soup; she said yes. So he went to heat it up for her, using an actual saucepan rather than just sticking it in the microwave oven.

"I'm impressed with your mad skills in the kitchen." Maya said, taking the warm bowl in her hands.

"Hush. Eat your soup."

Maya took a few bites, as Lucas channel surfed for a bit since he wasn't an L & O fan.

"Lucas?" She said softly after a while.

"Yeah?" He said, smiling a little as he always did when Maya called him his actual name.

"Tell me a story."

"A spooky story?"

Maya thought about it for a moment, snuggling into him "Nah, I'm too weak to get worked up about a scary story. Tell me about Texas."

"Really? You have been there before, nothing new."

Maya shrugged, "Pappy Joe and Grandma Ruth told me a few stories when we were there. It sounded like your childhood was fun."

"It was," Lucas said, launching into a story about his grandparents' ranch, telling her how his parents had sent him to live on the ranch that year he had been out of school, how he got to spend all day with his Grandpa, checking fences and riding horses and mucking the horse-stalls.

He talked until Maya's breathing grew even. He took the bowl from her hands and helped her lay back down, taking time to cover her with the blanket. And before he could stop himself, he leaned down and kissed the top of her head, "Get some rest, darlin'." He whispered before he let himself out.

That night, Lucas was sitting at the kitchen counter, trying to get through the bio worksheet when his phone beeped.

Thanks for coming over today, Huckleberry – Maya texted.

 ** _Are you feeling better?_** – He texted back.

Yeah. I had a really nice male nurse show up today at my doorstep ;)

 ** _Dork_**

Says the one who washed all the dishes we had on the sink. You didn't have to.

 ** _I told you I would do the dishes. It's no big deal_**.

Thank you, anyway.

 ** _Will you be at school tomorrow?_**

I think so.

 ** _Okay. Good._**

:D You are one strange dude, Mr. Howdy.

 ** _See you tomorrow, Miss Penelope._**

-0-0-

The next morning, Maya indeed felt better, and she wanted to go to school because a) Riley always went a little too goody-two-shoes without her Maya influence, and b) she had promised Huckleberry she would.

Still, as she got ready that morning – pulling her hair into a messy ponytail, wearing her most comfortable jeans and shoes and an old t-shirt – Maya contemplated if she should carry her books and binder, or just bum a few binder sheets from Riley and borrow a pen from Lucas and call a day.

She was so distracted by this train of thought that she didn't hear the doorbell, so she was quite surprised when she walked into the living room to find Lucas standing there.

"What are you doing here?" Maya asked.

"Good morning to you too, Miss Penelope." Lucas said. "Came to walk you to school."

"Uh, okay." Maya said, grabbing a sweater. "We gotta stop by Riley's first."

"Sure." He said good-naturedly, "Where are your books?"

"They are too heavy." Maya said, having decided it was too much hassle to take her books to school.

"Maya-"

"Oh, all right." She grumbled and went back for them.

She was complaining about the weight as she came back, so Lucas just plucked the books from her hands and stuck them in his messenger bag. "Lets go."

Maya shrugged, settling into the pattern of that day: Lucas held her hand in the subway so they wouldn't get separated, he had copied his notes from the previous day and stuck them in her binder, he carried her tray at lunch as if she were really so feeble and gave her his hoodie when she shivered during third period.

He even bought her a cupcake after school because she said she was hungry.

It made her feel both comforted and uneasy at once, something that was happening quite often lately; but by the time Lucas dropped her off at her place that afternoon, Maya had figured she kind of liked that feeling even if she didn't understand it.

* * *

 **Please note** **that this chapter was once posted as Chapter Six, now there is a new Chapter 6 called Laundry Night which I encourage you to check out.**


	34. Chapter 22 - Purple Cats and Butterflies

**Because my easter holidays just started, and because Sandy is a rockstar that edits this stuff for you, here is a surprise chapter for all of you.**

 **Hope you enjoy.**

 **Always happy to hear your comments and thoughts! :D**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter 22: Purple Cats and Butterflies**

It was true that nothing was ever as scary as one thought it would be, and just a few weeks after starting high school Maya couldn't remember what she'd been so worried about.

Her friends were still there, she got into an advanced art class that almost never took freshmen, she still had homeroom and study hall with Riley and the gang, and there was always at least one of them in the rest of her classes.

Even the space that had formed itself between Riley and Maya during the summer felt right, because it was just that, space, not distance. They were just giving each other room to grow up and perhaps a little apart, confident in the fact that their roots were so deep and tangled that they would always find a way back to each other, no matter what.

Riley was busy with cheerleading and had joined contemporary dance class with them and (of all people) Zay, trying to improve her coordination now that she was finally growing into her limbs. Farkle really got into the science scene at school and it took him almost no time to join the nerdy elite of Abigail Adams High.

Zay began to flirt his way through the freshman class, with mixed results, but at least he was having fun. Lucas was still doing the athlete-scholar thing, joining both the debate team and basketball and getting involved in student government.

Maya stuck to her art classes, decided to take home ec because she realized she kind of liked cooking and it seemed easy; she also thought that perhaps in the spring she would try out for softball. For the rest, she was staying afloat with her classes.

She was even having fun, especially when it involved torturing Lucas a little. Like on the eve of the school's first pep rally and certain strange traditions of AA High.

"But you're the most artistic person I know," Lucas pleaded.

"Thanks, but I just don't see what your problem has to do with me. I'm already going to the pep rally because of you," Maya said as she arranged some of her books at her locker.

"You're going because Riley would never forgive you if you missed her high school-cheerleading debut."

"Technically that's true, but you'll be there too."

Lucas sighed. "Maya, I wouldn't ask if it weren't important. It's a tradition. A very old fashioned tradition but all the guys – from the bench warmers to the star players across all teams –are having their lockers decorated."

"Yeah, by their girlfriends."

"Or the cheerleaders for those guys who don't have girlfriends."

"And I'm neither so…"

"But do you really want a poor, unsuspecting cheerleader who has never met me to have to decorate my locker when she doesn't even know me, let alone like me?"

"You'll probably get one of the freshmen cheerleaders; they know you. Hey, you might even get Riley. I see lots of sparkles, unicorns and purple cats in your future, Cowboy," Maya said, closing her locker.

"Are you really going to condemn me to Riley's purple cats?" Lucas asked, reaching for her books automatically. They were both heading for the science lab.

"Gee, when you put it that way," Maya said.

"It doesn't have to be very elaborate," Lucas pressed hopefully. "Any decoration will do."

"Any decoration you said?"

Lucas swallowed hard. "Just, please be kind."

"Am I ever anything but?" Maya tossed the words over her shoulder as she disappeared into the lab.

"Maya-"

-0-0-

Maya agreed to it, of course. She had a hard time saying no to Lucas when he really asked her for something, and it gave her the added bonus of skipping her last period before the rally to get the decorations ready.

"I just don't get why WE have to decorate the guys' lockers," Riley complained. She was all decked out in her B-squad cheerleader uniform as she held the box of supplies for Maya. Since no one had wanted her to decorate their locker, Riley had been assigned to help Maya.

"I thought you cheerleaders were into that sort of thing," Maya said absently, as she tackled a frilly edge of blue and red crepe paper. "Though the whole thing seems retrograde to me."

"Said the non-cheerleader non-girlfriend who is doing the decorating."

"Shut up."

"And to answer your question, no I don't have a problem with the decorating. I think it's a sweet way of showing school spirit. What I meant is that I don't get why we only deck out the guy's lockers. What about the female athletes? Who's decorating their lockers?"

"Uh. You got a point."

"I know, right?" Riley said, bouncing a little because Maya got it.

"So, what're you going to do about it? You got a plan?"

"Do I have a plan?" Riley laughed and paused for dramatic effect. "I thought that for Sadie Hawkins we could have another pep rally and the guy-athletes could decorate the girl-athlete's lockers, and maybe even ours too. I mean, we're only at ALL of their games. We deserve some recognition."

"You know, that's not a bad idea." A new voice said and both Maya and Riley turned to find Francesca, the varsity cheerleader captain with a clipboard in hand. "If you write a proposal we can put it in front of the student government at the next meeting. Are you up for it, Matthews?"

"Yeah! I'll get to it," Riley said, almost turning around to run off to write her proposal.

"It can wait until after the rally," Francesca laughed and then turned to Maya. "Now, you're Friar's girlfriend, right?"

Maya sighed tiredly, she had been telling people they weren't dating all freaking day. "I'm Maya."

"Sure, sorry, I don't mean it like that, but it's easier for organizing purposes. Here you go," Francesca said, handing her a t-shirt with the school colors. "Put it on so we all match when we're sitting together in the first row."

"It has Lucas' name on it," Maya said.

"Yeah, to show who you're supporting," Francesca explained. Both she and Riley waited until Maya had, reluctantly, put it on. Then she stepped back to see Maya's decorations. She said "Good job" before crossing something off her clipboard and moving on.

"Why aren't you wearing one of these?" Maya complained.

"Because we support the whole team."

"Well, why can't I support you?"

"Oh, Maya," Riley sighed; Maya was so clueless sometimes.

Maya rolled her eyes and stepped back, looking at her handy work. She had glued a cardboard to the door with a motif of both basketball and baseball (which Lucas was trying out for in the spring). She added Lucas' last name and number, and there might have been a couple of horses and cowboy hats, just for fun.

"Okay, Riley, do your thing," Maya said, giving Riley a purple marker and pointing at a corner of the cardboard.

She bounced up and down. "Purple cat?" She said hopefully.

"Why not?"

Riley got to work. "Do you want me to ask one of the girls to get your hair into a high ponytail with school's colors? We always have extra ribbons. Or a cool braid? One of the sophomores does these amazing braids-"

"Maybe later," Maya said, leaning back. "So, let me get this straight: everyone pretty much thinks I'm with Lucas?" She asked, pulling at the shirt she was now wearing.

"Yeah."

"So why are you so calm? Why are you not all in black and calling yourself Morotia M. Black?"

Riley looked up. "Why would I be upset? I _know_ you're not dating Lucas, and it's not like _I'm_ dating Lucas anyway." Riley went back to her purple cat and finished it with a flourish. "There." She said triumphantly as the hallway began to fill with kids heading to the gym for the pep rally. "If you're sure about that ponytail, I'm going to head into the gym."

"Go ahead, I'll meet you there." Maya answered, still a little confounded by her calm behavior.

Maya stood there for a moment or two, staring sightlessly at Lucas' locker while people around her jostled her a little. Suddenly, there was an arm around her shoulders and she was surrounded by the clean, pine smell of the fabric softener Lucas's mom used.

"That looks amazing, Maya." Lucas said, giving her a squeeze that made Maya flush a little, and her stomach rolled and flip-flopped like it sometimes did when Lucas got this close.

"I- I'm glad you like it." Maya said, turning to look up to him at the same time the crowd around them moved and knocked Lucas off balance, sending them both against the lockers.

Lucas caught himself before he made full contact with Maya; his hands braced at either side of her head as he turned to yell at the people who had pushed them. It normally didn't bother him but if he hadn't been there, Maya would have landed against the lockers pretty hard and THAT bothered him.

"Are you alright?" Lucas asked as he turned back to her, only to find their faces really close together.

Maya froze. Her stomach dropped and it seemed like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She could hear it in her ears…. And then it hit her like a car crash.

For months she had been feeling this thing in the pit of her stomach when she was with Lucas. She always thought of it as a mix of warmth and unease that she couldn't explain but it really hadn't bothered her. She had gotten used to the familiarity of it, her spider-sense that told her he was around.

But in that moment, Maya finally understood it for what it was: excitement. The kind you felt when you were going up a roller coaster, when you knew you couldn't turn back and that you were about to fall. Hard.

It was butterflies. She had freaking butterflies in her stomach when she was with Lucas…

They were fluttering away now, as he studied her face and asked again. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She said, ducking under his arm. "We'll be late."

He smiled, sending those stupid butterflies all aflutter.

If Riley wasn't freaked out about people assuming Maya and Lucas were together, she would be if she found out about the stupid butterflies. There was really no other option here. Maya had to find a way to kill them all.


	35. Chapter 23: The Things We Tell OurSelves

**Hello everyone! Here is the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Thanks to Sandy, for all the help and and for getting excited with me :)**

 **And thank you for reading!**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter 23: The Things We Tell Ourselves (Epiphany part 2)**

Maya was acting a little off. It took him a few days to pinpoint it but yeah, there was definitely something going on. Ever since the pep rally she had been a little quiet. He wondered if he had done something to upset her but he couldn't figure out what it was.

He had even brought her flowers the following day.

"Hey, I helped too," Riley said when she had seen Lucas giving Maya a small bouquet of colorful gerbera daisies.

"Here you go, Riles," Maya said, handing them to her.

"I can't take them all, just one is enough," Riley said, taking one of the flowers and giving the others back to Maya. "Now say, 'Thank you Lucas, it's nice to be appreciated.""

"Thank you, Lucas, it's nice to be appreciated," Maya recited and gave him a tight smile.

That was the first time Maya had reacted like that when he brought her flowers. She usually teased him non-stop and in between the teasing there was a thank you.

Maybe he frowned or something because Maya let out a sigh but when she spoke next she sounded more like herself, and her smile was more genuine "I really mean it, Huckleberry, thanks."

"Yeah, sure," Lucas said, still confused and decided that maybe asking Maya if she wanted to sneak out of school for chimichangas during lunch wouldn't go over well.

"Awkward," Riley said in her cheerleading voice. "And on that note, I better go or I'll be late for English. Thanks for the flower, Lucas," She called, walking backwards before turning with a wave to run off to the other side of the school where her classroom was.

"Thanks for the purple cat!" He yelled back.

"Anytime."

Lucas smiled fondly after her. Riley was really coming into her own in high school, he had to admit.

"You shouldn't give me stuff in front of her," Maya said once Riley was out of earshot.

"What?"

"You shouldn't give me stuff in front of her."

"I heard you the first time."

"I just don't think it's cool. It might hurt her feelings."

"Yeah, she looked real hurt," Lucas said sarcastically. He earning himself a glare from Maya to which he only rolled his eyes, irritating her further.

"I don't want to ever hurt Riley's feelings."

"Neither do I," He said confused. "Look, it's only flowers. I'll take them back if you want."

"No," Maya said before she could help herself, holding them close. "I-I mean, that'd be rude."

They stared at each other in silence, until the first bell rang. "Are we okay?" Lucas asked as people began to mill around, going to class.

"We're always okay," Maya said, giving him another tight smile. "I'll go see if I can keep them in the art room, so they don't get banged up during class."

"Okay."

-0-0-

That was just the beginning of a couple of awkward weeks where it seemed like Maya was determined to give him whiplash. Maya started sitting next to Zay when they all met for lunch, even though previously she always sat next to him and picked at his food when she didn't like what she had gotten.

She asked Farkle for help in Biology, even though he, Lucas, was her lab partner and Farkle wasn't even taking Bio this semester. Farkle had moved on to AP Chemistry thanks to his genius status and a recommendation by Mr. Norton.

Suddenly she was dragging Riley into every other conversation he tried to have with her – it felt a lot like the beginning of 7th grade to be honest – and made up excuses not to wait for him after basketball practice, even though she had been waiting for him for most of the past year.

Maya almost ditched on chili night, but the lure of his mom's chili and cornbread had been too strong. And chili night had been almost normal; Maya had helped him set the table and do the dishes afterward – he washed, she dried – and they talked with Mrs. Friar about a movie they had seen a few weeks before at the revival theater they went to sometimes.

But when he walked her home, as he always did on chili night, Maya had been unusually quiet and Lucas found himself babbling about the team's chances against Einstein Academy the following week. Not even with his teammates had he ever talked that much about basketball.

And it was doubly frustrating when, in front of the Bunny Mart across the street from her building, Maya said: "You should really talk to Riley about this stuff; she really likes basketball."

It was all Lucas could do not to curse in front of her, and only because his Mama had raised him better than that (And Mrs. Friar would totally put him in the shed for a week if she ever found out).

-0-

Which brought him to now when he was rushing to get out of the locker room after practice before Maya left.

A few of the students were entering the New Creative Arts Showcase and their art teacher was giving them extra studio time to finish their submissions. Maya was the only freshman participating. So he knew she was at school and he needed to talk to her without their other friends hovering around.

"What's the rush, Friar?" Billy Ross asked him as the usually neat Lucas tossed his practice uniform into his gym bag without even bothering to see if it had landed inside.

"Nothing, I just have to go. I need to catch up with Maya."

"Is the missus giving you trouble?" another teammate by the name of John asked.

"Missus?"

"You know, tiny blonde you give piggyback rides to for no reason, apparently?" Billy asked.

"Her name is Maya, she isn't tiny and it's not like that."

Billy and John exchanged looks. "Sure, man, whatever you say," John said.

"I have no time for this," Lucas said, shouldering his gym bag and running out to the amusement of his teammates.

Lucas tried not to run, but he really wanted to get to Maya before she left. But as he turned the corner by the Art classroom he came to an abrupt stop as he realized he needn't have bothered running.

Maya was there and she seemed in no rush to leave.

Which wasn't strange, per se. She always lost track of time when she painted, and more often than not he was the one waiting at the end of the day for her to finish up.

But not this afternoon. Maya was already standing outside of the classroom, talking and laughing with some guy Lucas had never seen before.

Before he could think about it or stop himself, he was across the hallway and standing behind Maya.

"Hey," He said, draping his arm around her. "Are you ready to go?"

Maya froze for a second. "I-I…"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to keep you waiting," The guy said, smiling.

Lucas took in his hipster scarf and skinny jeans and wanted to punch him in his teeth. It had been ages since he had wanted to punch someone this bad.

"We really should go," Lucas said, ignoring the guy.

"Lucas," Maya hissed, glaring up at him.

"I think that's my cue to leave," The guy said. "See you tomorrow, Maya."

"Bye, Tristan."

As the boy-now-known-as-Tristan walked back into the art classroom, Maya started to walk toward the nearest exit without even turning to look at Lucas.

"Maya," He said, following her out.

She turned around fast and smacked him on the chest with all her might. "What was that all about?"

Lucas… he wished he knew the answer. All he knew was that he had seen her smiling at that guy and he had seen red, and then this awful sense of dread had come over him and he had acted without thinking.

"I'm waiting," Maya said, tapping her foot as they stood just outside the school on the middle of the sidewalk.

"All I know is that you've been acting really weird these last few weeks."

"I have not," Maya looked away.

"Yes you have! I see you talking to his random guy like you've got all the time in the world when you swear you're too busy to walk home with me after practice. You've been avoiding me and I want to know why and I want to know now."

Maya looked down and then away, and didn't speak. The sense of dread came over him again. "Did I do something wrong?" Because he would fix it, whatever it was, he just needed to know and he would fix it.

Because Maya avoiding him hurt, and seeing her talk to other guys made him see red. It was like he was… _**jealous**_.

Once he thought about it and the world 'jealous' jumped into his brain he couldn't un-think it.

And then, in about a half-a-second, everything began to click into place. He was jealous because he cared. Because at some point between meeting her in the subway and right now, Lucas had fallen in love with this fierce tornado of a girl that kept him on his toes and he hadn't even noticed.

All the signs had been there. Even way back at the beginning when he should have been paying attention to Riley (official-unofficial thing and all), it was Maya's attention he had wanted to catch, to keep.

Maya was the first person he wanted to tell when something good happened; and the only person that could make him feel better when things went bad.

He always thought about her at the most random times and it always, always left him smiling.

This was why it felt so right to hold her hand when it was rush hour in the subway and they didn't want to become separated in the crowd, or when their hands just slid together while they walked.

Their palms matched, and their fingers fit perfectly and it was always so hard to let go.

That he wanted Maya to be happy and needed her to be safe.

And why he had been miserable the last few weeks.

It all made sense now.

He was screwed. He didn't mind.

"You did nothing wrong. Huckleberry," Maya sighed and shook her head, looking up to meet his eyes for the first time. "Other than being really rude to Tristan just now."

Lucas rolled his eyes, temporarily distracted, "I'll apologize if you want."

"You have to mean it."

"I'll mean it," He said, totally not meaning it.

It made Maya laugh like she hadn't laughed in the last couple of weeks, since the weirdness started. It was music to his ears. "What am I going to do about you?" She asked, mostly to herself.

"To start with, stop shutting me out," Lucas answered. There were still a million things running through his head, but _**this,**_ at least _ **,**_ felt right.

"I'm sorry about that," Maya answered and they started to walk again.

"So… are we okay now?" Lucas asked tentatively.

"We are."

"Okay, good," Lucas nodded. "So…do you want to go get pancakes?" He asked impulsively.

"Pancakes? But it's not Saturday."

"Well, I know but we missed last weekend because…"

"Still, traditions are important. Pancakes are for Saturdays."

"If you say so," he agreed.

"What about waffles?"

"Waffles?"

"They're not pancakes."

"I like waffles." He would have eaten goulash in that moment if it meant they were okay and spending time together.

-0-

When he walked into his apartment that night, Lucas felt happy and full and so damn confused.

He called a cursory greeting to his mom as he went to his bedroom; he paused in front of his desk reaching for the photo of Maya and him that he kept propped up against his desk lamp. But it wasn't there.

"What?" Lucas mumbled to himself -he was sure he had seen it that morning - as he stooped down to look under the desk.

After a few minutes of fruitless search, he went to the source. "Mama?"

"What is it, honey?" Mrs. Friar asked from where she sat on her bed, folding piles of laundry.

"Have you seen that picture I keep on my desk? The one of me and Maya?"

His mom stared blankly for a second. "Oh, yeah! " She stood up and went to her dresser. "I was in your room putting away some laundry and the picture fell over, and it was always falling over really. And then I remembered this frame I got when your dad and I went antiquing last summer-"

"Antiquing? Father?"

"Yes, Lucas Friar. Antiquing. While you were at camp, you father took me on a cruise and then for a weekend to Vermont."

"I just can't imagine him antiquing."

"There is almost nothing your father wouldn't do for me, and I for him. Antiquing isn't even very high on the list of things he puts up with because of me," Mrs. Friar said happily, handling Lucas a heavy silver frame with an elegant art deco design. "Speaking of your father, he's running a bit late so I'm holding off dinner for an hour, okay?"

"Sure." Lucas turned to leave the room.

"Honey?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you and Maya okay now?"

Lucas looked down at the picture in his hand. "Yeah."

"Good. Bring her over tomorrow, okay? I'm making apple cobbler."

"I will."

Lucas retraced his steps back to his room where, bypassing his desk, he settled the picture of him and Maya, in its brand new frame, on the night table. Why deny the evident? He had it bad for Maya Penelope Hart.


	36. Bonus 13: Sadie Hawkins

**Hello everyone!**

 **Here is just a little bit for you guys. I can't wait for you guys to read the next chapter though I also have to say that they mean the end is not near, it's here. But I hope you enjoy this story till te end.**

 **Thanks to Sandy for all her help, and to you guys for reading.**

 ***goes back to write Ski Lodge fic***

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Bonus 13: Sadie Hawkins**

Riley had gotten away with her whole "Let's do the pep rally in reverse for Sadie Hawkins" thing. She had written a very persuasive proposal and presented it with a cool, calm demeanor that broke no argument, and she the cheerleaders threw their weight behind her.

The Student Government didn't know what hit them when they encountered doe-eyed, freshman Riley Matthews, but the school's paper described the whole thing as "being bulldozed by a puppy avalanche".

In the end, the cheerleaders got what they wanted, and so, Maya found herself decorating a locker-this time Riley's-with a theme of kittens and bunnies.

"What I don't get is why I have to do all the work...?"

"To even things out, Riley said, resting against the locker next to her own. "You did Lucas' locker and now you do mine. Lucas and I deserve the same amount of attention from you. I'm warning you now, Maya Hart, we are NOT going to be _those girls_ w _ho don't have time for each other when they get a boyfriend"_

Maya looked up at Riley, completely lost. "Okay?" She said nervously.

Riley smiled and nodded. "Besides, Lucas sucks at crafts, anyway."

"I still don't get how it's fair when I'm doing all the work," Maya grumbled as Lucas walked behind her.

"Because I was told to find another way to show appreciation," Lucas said with a smile, having just caught the tail end of the conversation. "All right, Riley." He held out a take-out cup caddy with three frosty drinks on it. "A non-fat, chocaccino with a large dollop of whipped cream and sprinkles."

"Thank you," Riley said, taking her drink.

"Maya, strawberry milkshake, small dollop of whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles."

"Thanks," Maya said, taking the cup and taking a sip. "Hey, you went all the way to our diner for these?" She was touched that he had not only snuck out of school for these, but that he had gone such a long way when there was a coffee place across the street from the school.

Lucas shrugged. "It's the one you like best," He said, holding out the caddy so she could put it back and start packing her art supplies.

Riley looked from one to the other, then she put an arm around Lucas. "Aren't we lucky? we get the best artist in school to decorate our lockers."

"Luckiest ever," Lucas agreed, taking a sip of his Oreo Milkshake, knowing it was the only one he would get.

"Is that...?"

"Oreo. Yes. And, yes, we can switch." Lucas held his milkshake out to her.

"Thanks, Sundance," Maya said happily as she shouldered her bag.

"Anytime," Lucas said, taking her strawberry milkshake. "I should head over to the gym; my team is in charge of the opening number."

Riley smiled with glee. All the boys' sport teams were putting on a dance and cheer numbers for the girls. "I'll come with, I have to change into my uniform."

"I'll put this in my locker and catch up," Maya said.

"Don't forget the t-shirt from last time-"

"So we all match, I know," Maya said, walking backward toward her locker.

Lucas and Riley started to walk to the gym, trying to finish their drinks before getting there.

"Do you even like strawberries?" Riley asked.

"Maya does," Lucas answered. "I don't mind."

"She had, like, one sip. Why don't you guys just get two Oreo milkshakes?"

"You know, I've never asked her."

"You guys are so weird," Riley said, parting ways in front of the girl's locker room entrance.


	37. Chapter 23 - The Writing on the Wall

**Thanks to Sandy for all her help! :D and to you guys for reading.**

 **The ending is very close, I hope you guys enjoy these last few chapters :D**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter 24: The Writing On the Wall**

October and November wore on, and fall gave way to winter. Lucas reminded himself he was playing the long game. He wasn't going to rush with Maya; it might spook her. He wasn't going to pay her more or less attention; it might make her suspicious. He was going to wait for the perfect time to ask her out.

It wasn't easy. There were many times where he wanted to ask her, and he often found himself thinking what would be like to kiss her; but he was going to do this right. Lucas didn't want any weirdness to creep back into their relationship, and if that meant patience then he was going to be patient.

Opportunity arrived on a Monday when he and Maya were sitting together in the science lab, hearing the 'afternoon' edition of the school announcements before school let out for the day.

Remember - the voice was saying over the PA System - tomorrow is Taco Bar Tuesday in the cafeteria. Also, the Student Council would like you to know that tickets for our Non-denominational Winter Formal will go on sale this Friday.

The bell rang and everyone began to gather their things to leave.

"So, about the dance-" Lucas began.

"Yeah?" Maya said, stopping to button up her coat.

"Could we go together?"

"You mean as a group?"

"I mean you and me."

"Did you ask Riley already?"

"No."

"Are you trying to make her jealous or something? Because she won't appreciate it."

"No. Not everything in our lives has to do with Riley, Maya. I want to go to the Winter Formal with you."

"Why?" She asked nervously.

"Maya," He said in a tired sigh. "I like you."

"But you're Riley's first boyfriend. It can never happen. Girl Code."

"Riley and I were boyfriend and girlfriend for two hours, like, eighteen months ago. Just to be clear, I was never planning on asking her to the Winter Formal."

"Then you should ask someone else. I'm not doing this to her," Maya said.

"Fine, maybe I will," Lucas snapped.

"Good," Maya snapped back, pushing past him to get to the door and make it out of the school as fast as she could.

-0-

Maya spent the rest of the afternoon holed up in her room. She had tried to stop this train before it left the station. That was what putting distance between herself and Lucas had been all about back in October. She had tried.

It hadn't worked, but she figured it hadn't made things worse at the very least.

Things had gone back to normal – because to be honest, that distance had hurt her too, she was way too used to having Huckleberry in her life – but she was pretty sure she hadn't been making lovey-dovey eyes at him or anything like that to encourage him…

This was not supposed to happen.

-0-

The next day, Lucas was in a temper. All his patience had blown up in his face and Maya was now acting like he didn't exist, which only made him madder. By Wednesday, he was in what could only be called "a bitch of a mood" and the basketball coach had made him stay after practice to run laps until he cooled down. During practice, he had nearly gotten into a fight with a teammate.

On Thursday, both he and Maya were just miserable.

And Riley had had enough of it.

"What's going on?" Riley asked, cornering Maya before she could make a run for it at the end of the day. They hadn't hung out all week.

"Nothing's wrong," Maya said stubbornly.

"Maya."

"I'm telling you, Riley-" Maya began to make an excuse but Riley cut her off, holding up her hand.

"Bay Window. Now."

"I can't."

"Now, Maya," Riley said, grabbing her arm and marching her toward the subway. She didn't stop or speak until they were sitting on their bay window. She had even made Maya take off her shoes so she wouldn't make a run for it.

"This is too much," Maya complained. "And my feet are cold."

As an answer to that, Riley tossed a blanket to Maya and then sat down next to her. "Okay. Now you're going to tell me what happened between you and Lucas."

"Nothing happened. If Cowboy has the blues it isn't because of me."

"Oh, so you did notice how upset he is."

"Riley-"

"You guys haven't talked in two days and he's miserable. So I want to know what happened."

"I told you not-"

"Ring Power," Riley cut in.

"Curses," Maya said. Riley almost never used ring power on her, and she always complied when Maya did. Taking a deep breath and so not ready for this, Maya went on. "He asked me to the Winter Formal."

"Yay!" Riley said excitedly, clapping and bouncing on her seat. "I knew he would do it. Well, I hoped he was working his way around to ask you." She went on, stopping only when she noticed Maya was frozen with surprise. "What? Did you think I didn't know you guys like each other? I mean, I'm a bit dense but I'm not stupid. The writing has been on the wall for a long time, Peaches."

"But… Riles… you liked him first. I could never-"

"Oh, grow up!" Riley snapped, channeling her inner Gamma Gamma Girl "What are we? Five? Is Lucas a toy we're supposed to fight over?"

"But-the Girl Code."

"The only Girl Code I care about is this: You are my best friend and I want you to have everything you have ever dreamt of. And I will turn this world upside down to make it happen, because I know you would do the same for me," Riley said. With that, Maya cracked her first smile in days but she was still unsure.

"Look," Riley went on. "Lucas and I tried. Lucas and I failed. Lucas fell in love with you. He and I are better off as friends and that's not the end of the world. We've known it for months and months, Maya; we didn't even have to talk about it."

"But-" Maya started tentatively, getting at the other thing that made her say no to Lucas. "Why me?"

"Because you're pretty great, Maya" Riley shrugged. "You often say you're broken but I don't think so. Farkle and Zay don't think so. Lucas obviously doesn't think so. If you want to talk about why you and not me… I think Lucas always felt like he had to be Mr. Perfect all the time when we had our unofficial-thing. With you he feels he can be himself and you'll still like him, warts and all."

"How'd you figure all that?"

"Because he and I are a lot alike. And that's how I feel about you. You let us be, Maya, and that's a lovely gift."

"So, you're not mad?"

"Nope," Riley said, hugging Maya close.

"And I'm still your favorite person in the world?"

"You'll always be my favorite, no matter what."

"He's going to ask someone else, though." Maya said in a small voice.

"No, he won't," Riley said assuredly. "But just in case, saddle up, Peaches. We're going to bag ourselves a Cowboy"


	38. Chapter 25 - The New World Order

**Hello everyone!**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter and sorry for the slight delay, I actually wrote two versions of this but the first one wasn't really working so I did the second, which Sandy and I were much happier with.**

 **thanks for reading and Thanks to Sandy for all her awesome help!**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Chapter 25: The New World Order**

Maya decided she needed to do this alone, though she appreciated Riley's pep talk. Riley had wanted to come along, but Maya thought that would be weird and awkward for everyone involved.

Maya braced herself and marched to Lucas' building, wanting to believe all the things Riley had told her: that she wasn't broken, that Lucas did actually like her for herself and that Riley was okay with it all.

If hope was for suckers, she was about to be one… if she ever managed to bring herself to knock on his door.

-00-

Lucas needed to do something and stop moping. He had almost gotten himself benched for the rest of the season and he had annoyed Zay and Farkle to no end.

He figured he should talk to Maya to clear things up. And ask her again.

Lucas was pretty sure his feelings weren't one sided. He knew Maya, and there was definitely something between them. It had taken him a while to figure it out, but it had always been there.

Even Riley was on it, which was the only reason he could think of for why they had had that super awkward conversation last week.

" _All I'm saying is that girls like to be asked to the dance," Riley said, after her whole spiel about important moments and how seminal the first formal was._

" _I got that message last time," Lucas had said, vaguely worried that this was a hint._

" _And nope, it's not a hint. I already got a date for the dance. I'm just saying, in general."_

" _In general?"_

" _Yeah," Riley added, gesturing toward Maya who was waiting for them by the lockers, still out of earshot. "General." Then she winked._

And even he had gotten _**that**_ hint.

Maybe he should tell Maya that Riley told him she was okay with everything. He hated that she felt like they needed Riley's permission because they didn't. But at least they had it and he might as well take advantage of it

And there was no better time than right now…

-000-

Just as Maya was reaching out to knock on the door of Lucas apartment, the door sprang open. She jumped backward, losing her footing when her shoes tripped over the welcome mat.

Of course, Lucas caught her. He always did. And before she knew it, she was sitting on the couch and Lucas kept asking her if she was fine.

"I'm okay, Lucas. Really."

"Do you want a glass of water? I'll get you a glass of water," Lucas said frantically.

Maya reached out to grab his arm. "I'm okay. I didn't hit myself or anything. It's okay."

"Are you sure?"

Maya nodded and Lucas stopped, sagging on the couch next to her.

"It looked like you were going out."

"I was actually going to see you. Figured we should talk."

"Same here." Maya said, looking down. She noticed that her hand was still on his arm and started to take it back. Lucas put his hand over hers and before she knew it they were holding hands.

"I'm sorry I caught you off guard when I asked you to the dance. I thought we were on the same page. I mean, I love spending time with you and I feel happy when you're happy even if I'm not the reason –unless it's because of some guy, then I feel awful but, you know – and it makes my day when I get to hold your hand like this; and I probably should have told you all of that before asking you to the dance-"

Lucas could have gone on rambling for a while, but when he looked up Maya was right there so he did what he had been thinking of doing for the last couple of months.

Maya had never thought much about what her first kiss would be like. She had thought about it before back when she had had that massive crush on Josh. But she hadn't been able to picture it clearly. Kissing Lucas had always been so out of reach that she had squashed those thoughts as soon as they popped into her head…. But she was certain that whatever she had imagined wasn't half as good as what occurred while they were sitting on that couch.

Sure, they bumped noses a couple of times, and the first time their tongues touched one – or maybe the two of them – might have made a bit of a squeal, but it was all kind of great.

"So," Maya asked when they came up for air. "About the dance-"

"Pick you up at seven, buy you flowers, anything you want." Lucas said in a rush, leaning in again.

"Okay."

-000-

On Friday, Maya still couldn't believe that she was going to the Winter Formal with Lucas, or that they had spent last night making out in his couch. (Though they were, and they had.)

And it was even more surreal to walk into school as a couple.

Lucas had shown up at her apartment, had pop tarts with her for breakfast and then they made their way to school. Since Riley had an early cheerleading meeting, they didn't have to stop at her place beforehand.

In fact, Riley was still at the meeting when they met with Zay and Farkle by the lockers.

"So, the two of you are talking again?" Zay asked, breaking off mid sentence of whatever he was telling Farkle.

Talking. Holding hands. Making out. "Yeah," Maya answered and she couldn't help the goofy smile that took over her lips.

"Wait a minute. What's going on here? Something's different."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Maya said, playing it cool.

"This!" Farkle said, sneaking behind them and lifting Maya and Lucas' joined hands. "What's going on?"

Lucas, deciding to just take the bull by the horns, let go of Maya's hand to wrap his arm around her. "This is happening. That's all you need to know."

"Good for you, man!" Zay enthusiastically pounded Lucas on the back.

Lucas didn't mind.

"No good! No nice! Not yet!" Farkle cut in.

"Farkle, if you're worried about Riley-"

"I know Riley is fine, Maya." Farkle rolled his eyes. "All I'm saying is that we need rules for this." He added, waving his hands at them.

"Rules?" Zay asked in confusion.

"Yes! Do you want to relive this past week from hell each time they break up?"

Now they were talking like Lucas and Maya weren't even there. And that's when Riley arrived.

"What's going on?" She asked, sidling up to Lucas and Maya.

"These two stooges say they want to set 'rules' for our relationship." Maya informed her. It had been amusing five minutes ago, but now she was seeing red.

"Oh, don't worry. I got this." Riley said, stepping up to Zay and Farkle and smacking the back of their heads to get them to snap out of it.

"Riley!" Farkle complained.

"Stop this nonsense now."

"But the rules-"

"There are only two rules." Riley said, glaring from Zay to Farkle. "No one takes sides when they fight." She paused for the two of them to nod, then turned to the newly minted couple. "And you two don't overdo it with the PDA."

"Sure." Lucas agreed. It wasn't like he was going to make a spectacle of his relationship with Maya; he respected her too much for that.

"Okay, good." Riley said, satisfied as the bell rang and they began to file into homeroom. "Lucas, wait."

"Yes?"

"There is a third rule."

"But you said there were only two."

"This one is just for you. So pay attention." Riley said, using her scary voice. "You break her heart and I break your face, _capisce_?"

"Yes, sir." Lucas gulped. Riley was scary when she got intense.

"Good." Riley nodded, back to being smiley Riley and turning to go into the classroom as well.


	39. Epilogue: The First Day of (Part 2)

**Hello guys! Thanks so much for sticking to the story! I hope you enjoy this epilogue.**

 **Thanks to Sandy for all her help!**

 **There is a sequel of sorts in the work, but it takes place far enough in the future that I thought it was better to just let it be its own thing.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Walk Me Home**

 **Epilogue: The First Day of the Rest of Your Life, Part 2**

 _ **Three years later, Spring of Senior Year**_

The break up shook the foundations of Abigail Adam's High.

For the last three years, Lucas and Maya had been a couple, a pair, always together cheering each other on. They still argued and bickered but it was done without malice; it was just their way. But it was easy to see that there also was an inherent gentleness to the way they treated each other.

Maya learned the things that made her truly happy: walking home with Lucas after school, studying together at Topanga's, reading comics in the Park on Saturday mornings after having pancakes for breakfast, chili night at his place, pizza at hers, and even game night at Riley's.

As the months and years piled on, Maya always said dating Lucas was easy. He showed up when he said he would, he was always happy to see her and if he said he would do something, he did. Plus, he understood all the things that made relationships scary for her.

When Maya freaked out because Katy and Shawn broke up, Lucas talked her off the ledge and got her to talk to her mom about it. When Lucas' own parents went through a rocky patch, he said clearly: "It's about them, not us."

In the end, Shawn took a job as editor for a photo-journal newspaper in the city, and he and Katy gave it another, more successful shot. Mr. and Mrs. Friar did counseling for a while and got back on track. Eventually Mr. F encouraged Mrs. F to go back to college for the Master's degree she had put on hold first to have Lucas and then because of the move to New York.

And all was happy in the realm again.

So, everyone was shocked when they broke up that spring. Sure, they had broken up once before – late in sophomore year when a few adults in their lives (mostly Lucas' coach and Maya's student counselor) began to harp on them on how they were too young to get too serious, and wondered if maybe they should see other people.

So they decided to break up to see what was out there.

It lasted all of 45 minutes while Lucas was in P.E. and Maya in English.

" _So," Maya said when they met in the hallway afterward. "I saw other people in English."_

" _Me too," Lucas pointed in the general direction of the gym. "I didn't care for it."_

" _Me neither!" Maya smiled._

" _Chimichangas for lunch?"_

" _You know it." She agreed, tiptoeing to kiss him before going to her next class._

.

That was not what happened the spring of senior year.

When the college acceptance letters arrived at the beginning of the second semester, there was the usual freak-out amongst seniors about who got where and what their options where. Farkle had gotten into every school he'd applied to, and he was leaning toward Columbia or Princeton - even if it meant breaking up with Smackle who was packing up to go to Oxford in the fall.

Riley had been set on NYU since the eighth grade so that part was easy. She wasn't even torn up about the fact that her current boyfriend was going to school out of state.

"Boyfriends come and go," she said. "It was fun while it lasted." Which pretty much had been her whole attitude about dating in high school. She had plenty to keep herself busy with cheerleading and becoming the first junior to be Student Body president and to repeat as a senior, so boyfriends were nice but not top priority for her.

Maya was considering a few art schools, but it all came down to how much financial aid she could get. In the end, staying in the city made the most sense and she said yes to NYU's Art Program, even applying to room with Riley.

Lucas, though, just couldn't make up his mind. He had gotten into every school he'd applied to – jock with good grades and just the right amount of padding from student government and volunteering? Of course he got in everywhere -which was exactly his problem.

Or, as Maya had said, "Oh, please. Cry me a river."

They were sitting in his room, his acceptance letters spread over the bed.

"Maya, this is serious!" he said. "How am I supposed to decide?"

"Think of the reasons why you applied in the first place and rank them?"

"That's all you're gonna say? You don't have any preference?"

"Lucas, it's your future, your decision. We'll deal with whatever you choose, even if it's 1000 miles away." Maya said, picking the letter from the University of Texas-Austin from the bunch.

"So you'd be okay with me going to school across the country?" He said, a little more heatedly than he meant to.

"If it's what you wanted. Sure."

"So we'd date long-distance?"

"If that's what you wanted."

"That's an enthusiastic response."

"You know what I mean,"

"No, I don't."

"Yes you do. I mean that I want you to have whatever you want. Just as I'm sure you want the same for me. If there are adjustments to be made, we'll figure it out. But I'm not going to be a factor in this decision, babe."

"You're a factor in all of my decisions."

"This one is all on you, Sundance."

Lucas hadn't appreciated the talk, and as the days passed and they got closer to signing day, Maya decided that Lucas needed a push. So she pushed him… to the shock of the entire school.

"What do you mean we're 'on a break'?"

"We are, until you make a choice."

"Maya."

"Lucas."

"I really don't need this right now," Lucas complained.

"Whatever's going to happen, Lucas, we need to know what it is to make plans. We can't make plans if you don't make up your mind. So, on a break we are."

.0.

"Lucas is really mad," Riley told Maya a few days later when they were doing homework together.

"Tough."

"Did you really need to break up with him just now? Dude has a lot on his plate."

"We didn't break up. We're on a break. There's a difference."

"Not from where he's standing."

"Riles, I love the guy. I want him to make the best choice for himself. If that's here or back in Texas, we'll deal with it but it has to be what he wants. He's always encouraged me to pick the best option for myself. Now it's his turn."

"I get that." Riley agreed. "But you look sad too."

"I don't like not being with him. And I don't like the idea of him going back to Texas but-"

"Do you think he wants to go back to Austin?"

"I don't know what he wants exactly. But I know his dad and Pappy Joe are Longhorn fanatics and want him to go there. And Lucas would rather ride a bull than let either of them down. He's a pushover with the people he loves. It's one of the reasons why I love him."

Riley looked at Maya sadly. "I hope he comes to his senses soon." She paused and added in a lighter tone: "Everyone in our class is panicking. You guys were a shoe-in for prom king and queen; now they're scrambling to find another couple."

Maya laughed, but only a little. She missed her cowboy.

-0-

Lucas calmed down eventually. With two days left for final decisions, Zay and Farkle sat him down.

"We are going to fix this. And we are going to fix it now." Farkle said, grabbing all of Lucas' acceptance letters.

"How?" Lucas asked while Zay shoved him into his desk chair and turned him toward the window.

"Farkle and I analyzed all the relevant information about the schools you applied to, including course catalogues, campus life and prestige."

"We are going to read them to you, leaving out which is which and where they are so you can make a truly informed and impartial decision."

"How do I know you aren't biased?"

"Smackle checked them. She says they are impartial." Farkle said, mentioning his on-again-off-again girlfriend of the last four years. They had finally called it quits last week since Smackle was leaving for England upon graduation and saw no point in prolonging the inevitable.

.

For the next six hours they went back and forth, not letting up until Lucas came to a decision. He wavered between two schools, but in the end the prestige of the law school of one of the options won him over.

"How did you know to include law schools?" Lucas asked the guys as they left.

"Maya told us to." Farkle said, too tired to remember Maya told him not to say anything.

"She said you weren't as sure as you liked to think you were about being a horsey-doctor." Zay added.

"Maya?" He said, feeling a happy glow. She did care. Based on the conversation he had overheard in Topanga's between her and Riley, she actually cared a whole heck of a lot.

"Maya." Farkle confirmed.

"Well, I guess I just need to tell my parents now."

"And put your letter in the mail." Zay reminded him.

"Don't forget my party tomorrow." Farkle added.

-000-

The next day, Lucas arrived a little late to Farkle's signing day party – everyone was wearing the t-shirt or sweatshirt of the school they were attending in the fall – he had put off having The Talk with his parents to the last second but he needn't have worried.

His mom was supportive, his father was a little disappointed – his chosen school was okay at sports, but it still wasn't Longhorns – but agreed it was a great school and even walked with him to the post office to drop Lucas' acceptance of enrollment along with the tuition check.

By the time he got to Farkle's penthouse, the party was well on its way but all he wanted was to find Maya. But of course, Maya found him first.

"Nice shirt." She said, leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen.

"I thought you would like it." Lucas smiled. "I like yours too."

Maya looked down to her pink NYU shirt. "Riley was in charge of buying them."

"Can we make out now?" Lucas asked suddenly. He had made a choice, she was there and he was SO ready for their 'break' to be over.

"God, yes!" Maya said, jumping him.

-0-0-

Much later that night, when most of the guests had left, Zay, Farkle, Riley, Lucas and Maya wound up in the terrace of Farkle's apartment, sitting around a space heater and just talking.

Riley, Zay and Farkle told Maya and Lucas about the big Dave-Sarah-Wyatt drama that had gone down earlier while the newly reunited couple was 'suspiciously' missing (they had resurfaced after about an hour looking rather disheveled); Lucas was sitting on a lounge chair, with Maya between his legs, his arms around her and everything was all right in his world.

Then they moved to assignments, movies, the meaning of life and nothing at all. They sat out there all night, eating leftovers and drinking coffee, trying to make the night last as much as they possibly could.

"We should commemorate this moment for posterity!" Farkle said around 5:30 a.m. He was a little drunk due to lack of sleep and the small bottle of tequila they had found during a kitchen run at 3 a.m. They had been passing the bottle between them during an intense game of _never have I ever_.

"You're right!" Riley said enthusiastically, getting up to set her camera on a table before running to sit between Farkle and Zay before the timer ran out, while Lucas and Maya leaned into the frame.

Behind them, the sun was rising over the river and bathing them in golden light. There was nothing but bright things ahead.

* * *

 **The** **End.**


End file.
